


Lone Wolf

by OninekoHikari



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Alpha Angeal, Alpha Sephiroth, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Animal Shifters AU, Beta Genesis, Beta Zack, Double Anal Penetration, Enthusiastic Consent, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Intersex Omegas, Laughter During Sex, M/M, Masturbation, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Multi, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, Omega Cloud, Oral Sex, Polyamorous Pack, Pool Sex, Rating has changed!, Vaginal Sex, Voyeurism, a/b/o dynamics, light gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:21:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 25
Words: 96,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24842218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OninekoHikari/pseuds/OninekoHikari
Summary: Hundreds of years ago, peace finally settled between animal shifters and humans - now they live together in harmony. Or rather, everyone but the carnivores who are seen a threat against said peace. Should a carnivore shifter make it's way into a village or settlement, they would be instantly killed.It is because of this that Cloud and his mother keep their identities as wolves a secret. Hiding behind the lie that they're dogs, not wolves, they've been able to create a life for themselves in the village of Nibelheim.But what happens if the secret is revealed?Without a pack, badly wounded and soaking wet, Cloud wakes up to find himself face to face with another wolf. A wolf with the brightest, kindest smile he's ever seen.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth, Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Angeal Hewley, Zack Fair/Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth, Zack Fair/Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Sephiroth
Comments: 283
Kudos: 819





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! This here is my first time ever writing about Final Fantasy, but I love these characters so very much. After having read an AZGSC fanfic called "Full-Moon reprisal" several times because of how brilliant it is (Go check it out if you're 18+!), this little idea just wouldn't leave me alone and I had to write it down. 
> 
> Expect some angst, characters acting in animalistic ways, whump, Hurt/comfort, a loving Polyamorous relationship and quite a bit of Found Family!
> 
> Note: Lines written in italics and bold are meant to portray the aminalistic language the shifters use while in their animal forms. By this I mean that when it's stated that a Wolf 'says' something, it isn't said out loud in human words, but rather conveyed through the animal's language. I hope this isn't too confusing! If so, I will try to update it or explain it better in the future. 
> 
> Constructive feedback is always appriceated! Enjoy!

“Hundreds of years ago, there were constant battles and disputes between Shifters and humans! On our side - Humans. Weak, without a single claw or fang or wing! We couldn’t do anything! They could sneak into our houses - kill our women and children - our cattle, without us knowing! They can appear to be human, but WE! We humans can’t do anything like that! The herbivores might be fine, the dogs and cats may be alright with serving us, but the other carnivores?! They might still be among us! And they will eat you and your children, mark my words! We need to purge the world of carnivores before it’s too late!”

Cloud simply sighed and went back to drinking his coffee, ignoring the fanatic activist again. He went on like that every day, for hours, even when people stopped listening to him. At first, as a cub, Cloud had been terrified of people like him, but his mother had assured him that it would all be fine. They were safe, but only because no one knew who or what they were. 

Forbidden. 

Dangerous. 

_ Wolves. _

His mother and him had only managed to stay in the village and create a home thanks to the lie they had told everyone. Instead of admitting what they were, they had claimed to be dog shifters rather than wolves, but still, that nagging fear that they would be discovered and hunted never truly went away. It didn’t matter how far they had come as a society - the once-rational fear of carnivores never went away. Humans had long since become more dangerous than even the largest carnivore shifter, but their fear had never truly gone away.

“Cloud~? Hello? Nibelheim to Cloud - Where did you go~?” his friend Aerith cooed, waving a hand in front of his face as if to get his attention. He huffed at her and swatted her hand away from his face with a fond smile on his lips. 

“Nowhere. I was just… Thinking” he admitted, taking another sip of his coffee, losing himself in the pleasant, strong smell. Actual wolves might not be overly fond of the scent, but luckily his human side was strong enough when it came to that particular scent that it became a huge source of comfort for him.    
He still wouldn’t answer Aerith’s question though - There was nothing he COULD say without exposing himself that he hadn’t said before.

“You were bothered by Father Thomas again, weren’t you?” Tifa asked, frowning in concern as she put a hand on his shoulder. “You know he’s just a raving lunatic, Cloud. No matter what he says he’s all bark, no bite” she added with a teasing grin, causing him to roll his eyes fondly. 

“Very funny. Imagine, after the 45th round of that joke since yesterday, it somehow still feels like the first time. But what should I have expected out of a one-trick pony like you?” he teased her back, earning himself a playful smack on the arm by her. 

Aerith let them have at it, just sipping at her tea while her wife and their best friend had their little playful scuffle at the table.

“Really, Cloud, you even heard him say that dogs are alright. You’re the best hunter we have thanks to that little nose of yours. There’s no way anyone would want to mess with you”

“I know I know. He smells so sharply of old sweat and ink that I find his scent more offensive than his words nowadays” he replied dryly, joking to let them know that he was actually alright, and they snickered before leaning in to rub their cheeks against his in a loving nuzzle, knowing it could calm him to feel their scents so close. 

His family. His pack.

It didn’t matter that Tifa was a horse, or that Aerith was a bunny - They were his family and he loved them with every fibre of his being. 

“Enough of that. How are you holding up? Winter is coming soon?” he asked, taking yet another sip of his coffee. 

“Well I was worried about what to do with the flowers this year seeing as that blizzard completely destroyed my green house last year” Aerith hummed. “But thanks to Barret I think it should be strong enough this year! I expect the business to boom because everyone will pay even more for flowers during the cold months! The people of Nibelheim always want to fill their homes with little pieces of spring after all”

“I’m sure it will be brilliant, babe” Tifa snickered and leaned over to kiss Aerith’s cheek sweetly. “We’ll always have flowers up in the bar as well for that very reason. Oh! I meant to ask your mother for the recipe to her stew, Cloud! I think it would become really truly popular if we served it during the cold months! Oh, and she’d of course get the credit and part of the proceeds” Tifa asked Cloud excitedly. He hummed, considering it for only a moment.

“I can ask her. Are you sure though? You know there’s meat in it? Want me to ask her if she can figure out a vegan option as well?” he asked, knowing full well that his friends were herbivores. 

“Oh no, that’s fine! We have already talked to my mother about it and she’s agreed to let Tifa use her recipe as a vegan option! We were thinking of calling that part of the menu something like ‘The mom corner’” Aerith replied immediately. “It’s sweet of you to think of it though”

“Of course I do - you’re my friends”

“Still, not everyone’s as considerate as you. You know, people like Father Thomas rave on and on about how dangerous carnivores are, and then act all disgusted and offended if you bring up vegetarian or vegan options” Tifa huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “I even had to kick Charles’ ass the other week”

“Charles? Why?” Cloud asked with a frown. Charles was no one special. Just another hunter, a young man at 19 years. He had always been awkward, but this far he hadn’t done anything bad enough to warrant a punch from Tifa. 

“Him and his friends got drunk and wouldn’t stop bothering us. Apparently thinking that he was hilarious, he pulled out a piece of meat jerky, winked at Aerith as he took a bite out of it and said ‘This isn’t the only kind of bunny I wanna eat’” Tifa snarled, kicking a nearby wall hard enough to cause cracks on the surface even as she was sitting down.

“He… He really…!? He ate rabbit meat in front of you?” Cloud asked, completely horrified as he turned to Aerith who simply shrugged. 

“Yup. He was lucky I was too shocked to say or do anything, or I would have done worse than what Tifa did” she replied, finishing her tea and putting a hand on his shoulder as she heard him growl. “Don’t worry, pup - He’s been dealt with”

“Sorry, I can’t help it” he grumbled, doing his best to force his growl back. It would be difficult not to punch the little fucker the next time he saw him, which he KNEW he would. The town was, after all, tiny. “I just… It’s things like that that worry me. I don’t understand how you can stay in a town like this instead of moving to a herbivore settlement”

“What - you want to get rid of us?” Aerith asked teasingly, causing him to blush again. 

“Of course not! I just worry that they’ll end up hurting you! Or just - I can’t imagine what it’s like to live among people who just…. Do things like that. As if it’s a joke”

“You’re very sweet, Cloud, but you don’t have to worry about us” Tifa assured him before finishing off her own coffee and ordering a second round of drinks for them.

They kept talking and catching up for hours, until the sun started to set and it was time for them all to head home. Seeing how Cloud could be away to hunt and work for weeks, they tried to get together for as long as possible as often as they could just to catch up with everything going on in their lives. Seeing as he had come home again just the day before, Tifa and Aerith both took a day off in order to spend it with him, and he appreciated it a lot.

As the sun set, coloring the sky a truly beautiful color, Cloud slowly made his way home through the town. He enjoyed the sounds and scents that came from families enjoying their evenings together. The smells of dinners being cooked, the sound of laughter, discussions, and even arguments - It was somewhat chaotic, but he loved every part of it. He loved the forest as well, of course, but given how rarely he was home and got to enjoy the things he heard and smelled - he appreciated them even more. 

Cloud and his mother had their cottage and butcher shop just at the outskirts of Nibelheim. It was all in the same building, with one door leading to the home-part, and another leading into his mother’s shop. The cottage wasn’t too large, more than enough for two people and with some extra room in case they’d have friends ( _ pack members _ ) over. 

He walked faster as he approached their home, eager to get home to her. He could hear her sing softly in the kitchen, and had he been in his other form, his tail would have been wagging nonstop. 

“Ma! I’m home” he called out the moment he got inside, crouching down to remove his boots before heading further inside. 

“Welcome home, darling” Claudia replied from the kitchen where she was finishing up putting their dinner onto serving plates. He went over to her immediately and nuzzled her, rubbing their cheeks together in a greeting and peppering her face with kisses much like wolves would greet each other. 

“How’s your day been, ma?” he asked, giving her cheek a final kiss before helping her carry the meat to the table. 

None of it was cooked, seeing as neither of them had any issues eating raw meat. In fact, it was preferred for both of them to have it raw. It was easier for their bodies to handle, and neither of them had to waste time on cooking when it was just the two of them. 

“It’s been going well. The mayor came over to collect the hides and the meat we reserved for him while you were out. He paid quite well this time around, so I’m considering getting you some finer clothes for when you’re home. You may be cute as a button, stormcloud, but you won’t be able to get a mate if you’re constantly covered in dirt” she teased with a little wink as they both started to eat. 

“You know I’m not looking for a mate right now. There’s no one in Nibelheim that catches my interest” he huffed. “I don’t feel the need to expand our pack anymore right now, especially seeing as Tifa’s expecting”

“She is? Oh that’s lovely! Did she tell you?”

“Nah, I can smell it. You’ll be able to as well when you see her next time. She actually wanted to ask if you’d consider lending them the recipe to your stew, so she might swing by soon” he replied, dabbing some excess blood off his mouth with a napkin. “I don’t think she knows yet, so I didn’t feel it was my place to tell her either”

“You’ve always been such a kind, polite boy, darling” she complimented him with a smile as she reached out to ruffle his hair lovingly. “But those are truly happy news! Perhaps I should save some of the finer parts of leather next ti- No no, never mind. I’ll have to see if I can get them something not based on leather or meat. Do you think mrs. Clerihew will sell her wool this spring?”

“Maybe - I don’t see why not” he shrugged with a small smile. 

They kept talking away and laughing together as they finished their meal, sitting for quite a while after they were done, before washing their dishes and heading up for bed. They did have a bed each, for appearance’s sake, but when it was only the two of them they slept in a combined nest consisting of blankets and pillows. Wolves are pack animals, after all, and it was nothing strange for them to snuggle in close and sleep together in a nest even despite Cloud’s age and size. Every snuggle and hug were completely and utterly platonic, and it was how they had always done it ever since he was just a cub.

* * *

  
The next few days went on quite well. Cloud helped Tifa and Aerith out with some repairs and tasks that needed to be done in both the pub and the flower shop (and if he hovered a little extra around Tifa, nobody mentioned it even though Aerith seemed amused by it). He helped Barret carry logs, as well as whatever they needed from the black smith. The man may only have one arm, but if there was one thing that badgers like him were known for - it was their stubbornness and refusal to let anything get in their way once they had a task ahead of them. And so Barrett insisted on carrying the heaviest tools and materials that they needed, no matter how many times Cloud offered to help more.

Two days into the repairs, Tifa and Aerith finally officially broke the news that they were expecting a little one, to the immense joy of the entire group of friends ( _ pack _ ) and they celebrated the night through. Given that they were unable to create a child on their own, Barret had offered to help them out, which meant that three people in his pack would soon be parents. Of course, the three parents-to-be ended up in happy tears and hugs several times during the celebrations, with Barrett drunkenly sobbing happily onto Cloud’s shoulder. 

“Imma be a dad, Cloud”

“I know, Barret”

“My baby will be the cutest little angel”

“Of course, Barret”

“Are you laughing at me?”

“Of course not”

Nights and days were spent planning the necessary renovations that would have to be made to accommodate the new child, names were discussed and dreams about the future were shared.

All in all, everything was perfect.

Until it wasn’t. 

* * *

“Cloudy? I’m so sorry to have to ask this of you, but we’re running out of stock earlier than I thought” Claudia told him one evening over dinner. “I know you can’t head out on a longer journey so soon without the necessary supplies, but would you mind heading out closer to home? I just need a couple of deers and we’ll be fine until you can leave again”

Cloud frowned at that, but agreed without thinking twice about it. They needed the gil, and he really didn’t want to leave so soon after his last journey, so it seemed like the perfect compromise. He knew to make sure that he was alone before transforming after all.

“Alright. I could probably get that tomorrow if I head out as the sun rises” he hummed, gnawing thoughtfully at the last bone on his plate. “I should be able to be back just after sunset I think… It’s a bit risky to do it so close to the village, but I’ll go as far as I can”

“Thank you, darling” she cooed, rubbing their cheeks together lovingly, before playfully stealing the bone from his plate. A rather childish thing perhaps, but it caused them to scuffle playfully, until they were both laughing until their sides ached. 

Said and done, the next morning Cloud headed out just as the sun was about to rise. With him he had a wagon in order to be able to get whatever prey he managed to catch back to the village with him, and a pitcher of water. He did bring a bow and his hunting knives as well, even though he wouldn’t need either of them, but it would look suspicious if he didn’t. No one could know that he killed his prey using only his teeth and claws.

Once he was well outside the village, deep in the forest, he undressed and set his weapons aside by the wagon. He sniffed the air deeply to make sure that there were no humans or familiar shifters nearby, and nodding to himself once was certain that he was alone. He took in the many sounds and smells that surrounded him, and once he found a small trace in the wind -  _ hog _ \- he leapt forward and into the shape of a wolf. 

The shift went as easy as breathing, and soon he used his even more superior nose to pick up the proper trail. He dashed between the trees, soft dirt and foliage under his claws, the sound of the river flowing by not too far away - It was easy to just become one with the forest. 

He was lucky enough to find a hog within the first hour, and two deers before sunset. He had spotted several rabbits during the day, but he had sworn off eating any form of rabbit or bunny since the day he met and became friends with Aerith. It just felt wrong to him, and so he ignored them and let them live on. 

The process of covering up the bites on the prey he caught went easy enough, as did the shift back to his human form. He strapped into his gear, put on his clothes, and then started to pull the wagon home. 

That was, however, where his good luck ran out. 

As he walked through the outskirts of the village, he grew more and more tense. People were staring at him, they were whispering and all of them were pulling their children inside if they tried to peek out at him. The hushed whispers seemed to just melt together, and at first he couldn’t make out what they were saying so he started to focus more. When he did hear what they were saying, however, he stopped dead. 

_ Wolf. He is a wolf.  _

His heart beat faster in his chest and every hair on his body stood on end with tension and rightful fear. 

That was when several men in the village, including Charles and Father Thomas, stepped into his path to stop him from reaching his home. Cloud’s eyes widened as he saw that several of them were holding bows, pitchforks and torches, and he took a reluctant step back.

“What is this?” he asked, hoping that he sounded more confident than he actually was at that moment. He glanced around, hoping in vain that none of his friends would be seeing this - whatever it was. But of course, at the edge of things, he spotted Barrett, Aerith and Tifa, and he could feel his heart break as they saw the horror in their eyes. The way Tifa was covering her belly with an arm, the way both Aerith and Barrett seemed to stand just a little in front of her as if to  _ protect _ her. 

From  _ him _ . 

His friends - his pack - his family…! 

“Cloud Strife. You were spotted shifting into a wolf earlier today by Mr. Finke as he was flying over the forest” Father Thomas accused him, gesturing to the bird shifter next to him, and Cloud cursed under his breath. He knew to keep track of shifter scents near him, but he hadn’t thought to keep an eye on the sky…! His sense of smell could only reach a specific height!

“We will not tolerate having a carnivorous predator in, or around, Nibelheim. Thus, you are hereby sentenced to death” Father Thomas continued, causing several gasps from around them, and finally Aerith stepped forward to Cloud’s relief and surprise. 

“You can’t just do that! He doesn’t - Cloud has never hurt anyone! You can’t just put him down like some rabid beast!” she protested. 

“Damn right! He ain’t like those other carnivore-fucks who only care about carnage!” Barret agreed, but their protests were quickly drowned in the sea of villagers calling for his death. 

“Monster!!”   
  


“Beast!!”

“Child killer!”

“Get him before he eats our babies!”

Things started to rain down on him - anything from food to pots and tools. One ceramic vase hit him in the head, causing him to cry out in pain as a shard cut the skin over his right eye open. He staggered to the side, half-blind now because of the blood that was flowing down his face. He accidentally stumbled onto the blacksmith then, who punched him on the other side of the face hard enough to send him to the ground. His ears were ringing from the blow and he became disoriented really fast - not even hearing his friends’ desperate cries for them to stop. He was soon pulled up and held by his hair by the black smith. He yelped - a very lupine sound - and tried to struggle but his arms were swiftly grabbed and held behind his back. Had it been anyone but him, Cloud knew he would have been able to handle him, but the man was a rhino shifter, and he couldn’t make him budge. Especially not half-blind and dizzy. 

Through the torrent of blood and the throbbing in his head, he saw Father Thomas approach with a knife raised high - clearly intending to strike - and Cloud couldn’t help but cry out in terror as he struggled even more. 

He didn’t want to die…!!

_ Please-! _

Suddenly, a wolf’s howl tore through the night, and Cloud’s head perked up in immediate recognition. He replied with a howl of his own, letting his mother know that he had heard her. 

Only moments later, a pale wolf the size of a horse ripped Father Thomas’ arm off, flinging it to the side along with the knife. She leapt towards the blacksmith just after, tearing his throat out with her teeth and thus making him let Cloud go. The smith’s body hit the ground heavily, and the Father’s screams of agony echoed between the houses as he clutched what was left of his arm.

The crowd around them seemed momentarily stunned in their shock, but Claudia knew they wouldn’t have much time, so she buffed her son with her muzzle, ordering him to get up and shift. It only took him a moment, but by the time he was done the humans had recovered and were now even angrier than before. 

**_“Run!”_ ** Claudia snarled at him, forcing him to run before her. He set off immediately, the adrenaline pushing him to run faster than he ever had before, even despite the earlier blows to his head. He was terrified, knowing that adrenaline would only get him so far. His mother ran just a little behind him, sometimes snapping her jaws near his hindlegs when he ran too slowly. She hated pushing him, but she would rather have him exhausted than dead. 

Arrows flew past them, but even as his mother sometimes yelped in pain because she was hit, she pushed him to run. They were faster than the humans and their hunting dogs, and it did look like they would be able to get away… Until Claudia stepped on a bear trap, and it snapped closed on her - shattering the bone in her leg. 

She howled in agony, tugging her trapped leg in pure desperation and Cloud turned to try to help her pry it open. But they were losing time fast - the hunters and the dogs would soon be upon them, and Claudia would NOT allow them to have him…! Not her pup - not her beautiful little stormcloud. 

**_“You have to run!”_** she snarled at him, but he seemed to refuse, even as the barking of the dogs came closer, and the arrows landed closer to them.   
  


**_“I won’t leave you!”_ **

**_“You have to! You have to live, pup! Please - Run! Don’t make me watch them kill you!”_ ** she begged, a whine of pain in her voice. Once he came close enough, she took hold of his scruff and threw him away from her as far as she could, which admittedly wasn’t too far but it was enough. 

**_“RUN!”_ **

And run he did. He could hear the fight his mother put up as the dogs and hunters reached her. The snarls and barks and yips of pain, until suddenly her voice disappeared. 

Cloud couldn’t help it - He howled out in agony and despair, knowing what had happened. But he couldn’t stop - he wouldn’t stop - not until he was far enough away that they wouldn’t get him. If he could only reach the river…! He could swim better than any of them could - the humans and dogs were too weak for the streams, but his wolf form was strong and able to swim in such conditions. 

His mouth was hanging open, blood mixing with his saliva now that he pushed himself. The trees soared past him, but he was faster and better at making quick turns than any of those that hunted him. 

Finally he heard the sound of streaming water, and he put even more energy into running and finally leaping off the cliffs and into the water below him. In the air, however, he felt the sharp pain of an arrow piercing his hindleg, and it completely threw off his balance. He hit his ribs on a rock, and though he tried to swim and keep himself above water as much as he could, he could feel his energy be sapped away. 

The voices of those hunting him were growing more and more faint, and finally Cloud’s vision went black to the sound of his mother’s dying screams. 

_ Mom…! _


	2. The other wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! And holy shit - Thank you all so much for the overwhelming support for the first chapter of this fic! I was so uncertain of it, as it's always difficult to present a setting in a good way, but so many of you were kind and commented, and 69 kudos by the time I'm writing this!? Not only is that a wonderful number, but it's amazing to me that 69 different people looked at my work and said "Yeah, I dig"
> 
> Thank you all!
> 
> A special thanks to Gemsom, the author of "Full-moon reprisal" for showing their support! I'm a little starstruck honestly XD 
> 
> Also, you can find me on twitter @MaironAdmirable! I also have a tumblr (Admirable-Mairon), but it's mainly full of Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. You can reach me on either of those :D
> 
> I believe this is the last chapter that will have the rating M, as more adult themes will start popping in once the rest of the boys are introduced to the story properly.  
> For now, enjoy two wolf-boys getting to know eachother!
> 
> Enjoy!

Cloud hadn’t truly expected that he would wake up after the tumble he took and after his world went dark. He let out a lupine whine - showing that he was still in the form of a wolf - and tried to get a clear idea of where he was and what had happened. 

His left hind leg hurt quite badly, as did his ribs but in different ways. The pain in his leg was sharp and nearly blinding, while the pain throbbing in his ribs were more dull. Worse than both of those however was the exhaustion and the emotional pain.  
His whole body ached, he was wet and cold, and he was lonely. 

Or… Was he?

His ears flicked as he slowly began to shift and open his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He seemed to be in a cave of some sort, on a bed of furs and pine. The cave would have been completely pitch black if it hadn’t been for the campfire that was lit a couple of paces away from him.

“Hey! You’re awake!”

The voice startled him, and he let out a surprised growl as his hackles rose. His bleary gaze shifted and he blinked, until he could focus on the man next to the fire. Black spiky hair, a scar on his handsome jaw, the brightest smile Cloud had ever seen and.... He was naked. Completely and utterly naked. 

The man didn’t seem bothered by it at all, carefully shifting closer in his crouch. Now that he came closer, Cloud could see that his ears were much pointier than a human’s and his teeth were sharp. These were the signs of a shifter who spent more time in their animal form than their human one, and given the teeth he was most likely a carnivore. A couple of cautious sniffs revealed to him just what kind of carnivore the other man was:

**_“You’re a wolf”_ **Cloud huffed, still a little uncertain of the situation. Sure, the other man looked and smelled nice, but it was the first time he had ever met another wolf apart from his mother, and he wasn’t sure of what to do. 

“Sharp observation there” the other laughed, coming closer still and offering his arm to Cloud, wrist up. The man’s scent seemed concentrated there, so Cloud instinctively leaned in to carefully sniff at him in a greeting. He could smell a myriad of things, but none of them seemed particularly hostile, so Cloud relaxed more - his hackles lowering again.

“The name’s Zack. You took quite the tumble down the river, sunshine. Didn’t think I’d be able to get you out of the water in time before you drowned”

**_“You… saved me?”_ **

“Well yeah. Honestly I was just out fishing, and you got trapped in my net” he admitted with an easy grin as he sat down next to Cloud’s head. “I tried to patch you together, but I ain’t a healer. One of my mates should be able to help you though, if you let him”

That was… quite a lot of information for Cloud to take in just like that, but at the implication that there were more creatures nearby, his hackles rose again and he sniffed the air as discreetly as he could. 

Zack noticed, but luckily he just seemed amused by it as it made him laugh.

“Don’t you worry, we’re alone here. Sometimes our alpha gets a craving for fish or other things that don’t live close to our den, so I was sent out to get some” he explained, and Cloud was having an increasingly hard time to avoid looking at Zack’s naked body. Had he been human at that point, he would have easily blushed.

“ **_... Thank you for saving me, Zack_ ** ” Cloud finally replied, his tail wagging just a little as he started to relax more. “ **_I’m Cloud. From Nibelheim_ **”

“From what? Sorry, I don’t know that word in Wolf” Zack hummed, head tilting to the side as he thought about it. “But that’s your home, yeah? Your pack? Or den?”

That immediately caused Cloud’s tail to stop wagging and he turned his face away from Zack. “ **_It was. I don’t have a pack anymore. Humans… Humans found us_ **”

“Oh… Fuck, I’m sorry. That explains the arrow” Zack murmured, running a hand through his hair. “I know the feeling. Happened to Gongaga too. But hey, I’m sure you’ll find a new pack in no time! You can get out looking for one once you feel better, yeah?”

“ **_I… suppose, but there’s not much I can do in this state. I doubt I could hunt like this_ **” Cloud pointed out, gesturing with his nose towards his wrapped up leg. 

“Of course, that’s why I’ll hunt for the both of us” Zack said with a shrug, as if it was no big deal to offer to do so for a complete stranger. Cloud, however, found it to be QUITE a big deal, and immediately started to protest. 

“ **_Hey no, you can’t do that! I appreciate your help this far, I really do, but I can’t ask you to do that for me too!_ **”

“You’re not, I’m offering”

“ **_But you don’t know me…!_ **”

“So? You think I’m just gonna let another wolf who just lost his pack lay around and starve? If I didn’t want to help you get back on your paws, I would have let the river take you”

“ **_But that’s…! You’re a predator_ **”

“Yeah? So are you?”

“ **_But predators are supposed to be… I don’t know, cruel?_ **”

“Some are, yeah, but not me. Where did you get that idea? Your previous home?”

“ **_Yes. It was a human settlement_ **” Cloud admitted, jolting in surprise as Zack leaned closer in excited surprise.

“Wait, you lived in a human settlement? As a wolf?! Really!? How did you do that?! I’ve always wanted to try to live in a mixed village!” Zack asked rather excitedly, and Cloud had to focus really hard on answering rather than losing himself in Zack’s pleasant scent. He couldn’t explain it - He just smelled of comfort and home. It had an alluring streak to it as well, and Cloud couldn’t help but feel drawn to it - More so than he had ever felt drawn to anyone before. 

“ **_We claimed to be dogs_ ** ,” he admitted. “ **_But they found us out and that’s how I ended up in the river_ **”

“Us? I didn’t see anyone else in the stream?”

“ **_My mother didn’t make it that far_ **” Cloud admitted, suddenly feeling tired and weary beyond compare. He just wanted to sleep for a decade and forget what had happened in the village that he had loved. 

Zack whined an apology and then buffed his forehead gently against Cloud’s, the ease with which Zack treated him with such gentle affection still surprising him. 

“Hey, I’m sorry that I brought it up. I know you’re probably tired and in pain, so you should sleep. I’ll just head out and find us something to eat, and when I get back, we can have another look at your leg and get some fresh meat into you. Alright?”

Completely out of energy, Cloud just nodded slightly and rested his head on his front paws. He longed to curl up, but somehow he figured that his ribs wouldn’t allow it. He let out a content sigh as Zack put a blanket of some form over him, and soon fell into a dreamless sleep. 

* * *

When Cloud woke later, the sun was starting to rise in the horizon and painted the cave a beautiful golden. He yawned and stretched as much as his battered body would allow. He looked around the cave and sniffed the air, soon enough spotting Zack and relaxing immediately. Zack had chosen to sleep as a wolf, hidden in the shadows near the opening, and Cloud’s heart seemed to skip a beat again. 

His coat was a beautiful jet black color, slightly rugged like the rest of him, and Cloud couldn’t deny that he wanted a closer look. It was simply unfair! How was it that Zack was so handsome in both of his forms?!

He tried to shift closer, slowly but surely standing on his three uninjured legs and wobbling closer to the other, still sleeping male. He laid himself down at a respectable distance, not close enough to touch but close enough to have a better look. And by Gaia, he was even more handsome up close…! He smelled so nice, looked so good and he was so kind…! Part of Cloud wondered if he had actually died and this was simply part of the better afterlife.

When Zack woke up, the sun had risen further and properly lit up the cave with light that was less golden. He blinked a couple of times and yawned, licking his snout and then jolting in surprise as he saw how close Cloud had moved. He didn’t seem annoyed by it - Quite the opposite actually, if his wagging tail was anything to go by. 

“ _ **Morning, sunshine! Happy to see you awake again. Are you feeling alright? Not too much pain?**_ ” he asked, shuffling a little closer still, and Cloud couldn’t help but let out a little animal chuckle. 

“ **_What are you, a pup?_ **” he teased, though his tail was also wagging. Maybe not as enthusiastically as Zack’s, but more than enough to show his mindset. 

“ ** _My mates call me that sometimes_** ” Zack chuckled and snapped his jaws in the air playfully, rolling over onto his side. “ ** _You didn’t answer my question though_** ”

“ **_I suppose I’m alright. It all still hurts but I’m more distracted by my hunger_ **” he admitted, lowering his head to his paws again. 

“ _ **What kind of hunger~**_?” Zack teased, causing Cloud to let out a startled huff and turn his head away again. It wasn’t a BAD comment per se - Cloud just didn’t know how to handle it. He had never been flirted with before, especially not by someone like Zack.

“ ** _I’m just teasing you_** ” Zack chuckled and then rolled over again, shifting into a human as he approached a crate he had further away. “What do you want to eat? Hog? Some bird maybe? I caught a squirrel as well. I would offer you fish, but Ang is gonna be upset if we waste it” he chuckled. “You know how bears are with their fish”

Cloud perked up at that, suddenly more curious but also quite apprehensive. 

“ **_Bear?_ **”

“Yeah, one of my mates is a grizzly shifter” Zack explained. “He can be a little stubborn, but he’s the kindest man I know. He has a thing for sweet things and fish - Never is as happy as when I manage to get him some honey”

Cloud carefully shuffled closer, his tail wagging a little in interest and his ears pointed directly towards Zack. 

“ **_I’ve never met a bear before. I sort of assumed your mates and pack would be wolves as well_ **” he admitted, taking the leg of a turkey that was offered to him with a grateful huff. 

“Not really. I thought that was how I would end up, but turns up we don’t have to get mates of the same kind as ourselves. I don’t know what my ol’ ma would say about my little pack though” Zack chuckled and tore into the squirrel he mentioned earlier. 

“There’s Angeal, the grizzly. He’s a very loving, large man, like most bears. Sturdy and slow but like - crazy strong. He likes to cook, because it’s fun, and he’s also quite a bit of a chemist. He makes sure we always have lube at hand” he chuckled, and Cloud was once again grateful that his wolf form couldn’t blush. 

“Then there’s Genesis, our fox. He is… quite eccentric, and loves literature. Or you know, storytelling overall. Whenever we meet other clans or packs, he can spend hours just sharing stories with them. He’s possessive, fast and clever. It’s dangerous to play games against him though, cause he’s rather sly. You know - typical fox” Zack hummed, a beautiful little smile on his lips as he talked about the men he loved. “He’s likely to turn up here soon, as he always takes it upon himself to check up on me. He pretends not to care, but I swear he cares a lot”

Cloud could barely taste the meat in his mouth by now, being so absorbed by Zack’s very presence. The way he spoke, the way his hands danced in the air as he described them, and the softness in his eyes…! It was enticing, beautiful, and it made Cloud completely and utterly jealous. Not necessarily because he wanted Zack to himself (Gaia no, he was INTERESTED but he had only known him for a couple of hours), but because he wanted that comfort - the love that came from having a pack. He had never considered getting himself a mate, but if he did - it would have to be someone that made his face light up like Zack’s did. 

“Sephiroth is a bit special” Zack went on, seemingly unaware of Cloud’s train of thought.  
“Seph is stoic, crazy strong and reserved. He has a certain love for taking baths and water…. But then again, I think that’s a normal thing for white tigers”

THAT ripped through Cloud’s distraction however and he actually dropped the bone in his mouth. 

“ **_One of your mates is a tiger!? A white tiger at that!? I thought they were just a legend-! Didn’t the humans kill them all?!_ **”

“They sure tried, but Jenova’s line was too strong,” Zack declared proudly, crunching the little bones left of the squirrel with his teeth. “He can seem quite intense and intimidating, but I swear he cares deep down. He’s just bad with showing feelings like we do. You know how felines are” he chuckled, and for once Cloud did understand. He had known a couple of cats in his life. 

“But I was thinking, you know - You’ve grown up with prey, right? Do you know anything about how predator society works?” Zack asked, licking his fingers in a way that was decidedly VERY distracting and fuck he still wasn’t wearing clothes _why would he not wear PANTS at least_ -!?

“ **_I don’t. My mother moved us to Nibelheim when I was a pup and that’s all I’ve known_ ** ” he admitted, though it made him uncomfortable to refer to the people of his past as _prey_ . “ **_I sort of assumed there was no form of society? The humans told us how carnivores are basically lawless monsters hiding in the forest, just waiting to tear herbivores and humans limb from limb. Eating babies and all that stuff_ **” he sighed. 

“Well, I mean, we do eat prey - herbivores and humans alike” Zack hummed. “But they eat us too, and wear our furs and whatnot. It’s the circle of life - There’s always a bigger predator out there. That’s why we form packs. We have allies, we have enemies, but the goal for us is always to survive, and sometimes we have to kill to do so. That isn’t really strange or barbaric to me”

“ **_I didn’t mean to imply it was” Cloud protested immediately. “It’s just what people told me every day growing up. I… also sort of don’t know how to interact with you properly_ **” he admitted sheepishly, causing Zack to tilt his head in confusion, and so Cloud explained what he meant properly. 

“ **_What I mean is, I’ve only ever been close to my mother and my pack, who are all herbivores. I don’t know how to act around a wolf I’m not related to. I want to show my gratitude, I… wouldn’t mind us becoming friends, but I don’t know where the line between friend and pack goes, and I don’t want to over-ste_ **p”

He was rambling a little, he knew that, but he felt like he had to explain himself properly. Zack, once again proving to have the patience of a saint, simply laughed and shifted into a wolf as well. 

He walked over to Cloud, towering over him in a way that Cloud somehow found he didn’t mind, and then licked his cheek. It startled a laugh out of Cloud and he tried to pull back, but Zack kept pressing sloppy wolf-kisses all over his face, his tail wagging fast and showing just how playful he was being. 

“ **_Don’t you worry so much, sunshine. It’s cute and all, but I promise - I’ll tell you if you do something wrong_ **” he laughed, rubbing their necks along each other, and it soothed Cloud to smell his own scent on Zack. It proved that they could be friends, even if it felt rather soon. 

“ **_We’ll sort this out, alright? I’ll help you figure this whole barbaric predator schtick out, and you’ll get a new pack in no time. We’ll be the best of friends, I’m sure of it! And hey, our packs can look out for each other_ **” he teased, tugging playfully at Cloud’s ear, causing him to laugh and snap his jaws at Zack playfully. 

“ **_I would like that a lot. Thank you, Zack… My friend_ **”


	3. What does the fox say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genesis joins the party and it spices things up just a little! This is the chapter that changed the rating from Mature to Explicit!
> 
> TW for non-consensual voyuerism in this chapter! Genesis wants Cloud to hear certain things he might not want to hear. 
> 
> Smut beginning and end will be marked with three stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm only almost sorry about the chapter title. I swear I tried to come up with other ones but I just couldn't. 
> 
> Thank you all so much!! I am frankly overwhelmed with affection for all of you for liking my work and taking time out of your lives to leave a comment or kudos. Seriously - it means the world to me! An extra thank you to Gemsom again for being a lovely source of inspiration and soundboard for ideas!
> 
> Also, I was asked about whether or not I will have a schedule for this fanfic, and there are a couple of things I'd like to say about that.
> 
> Currently, I don't have a monday - friday job. I am an essential worker as I am a caretaker for children with disabilities, and I am one of the people that works nights. This means that some weeks I work 5 nights, some weeks I work 1night, etc. Ironically, this might affect my writing in that most of my job is to keep myself awake until it's time to get the kids ready for school or daycare, so I am actually able to write during my work hours most often.   
> This would technially mean that I COULD set up a schedule, but I'm afraid that doing so will make writing feel more like a chore or a job rather than something fun to do, which would inevitably lead to me losing the motivation to write. 
> 
> If that changes, I promise to update you all on it! For now though, I'm excited to get the ball rolling properly!
> 
> As always, I welcome constructive criticism seeing as english isn't my first language, and I currently don't have a beta. 
> 
> Suggestions and questions about the universe are also welcomed! They might not be answered immideately in the comment section, but it might motivate me to answer it IN the actual story!
> 
> Thank you again and enjoy!

Three days passed and the two actually seemed to get along quite well. It was still strange to Cloud that Zack was just continuously naked, but he had sort of started to get used to it. Mostly. While Zack was out to do the fishing and hunting he was there for, Cloud just rested. Every waking moment was spent listening to Zack - learning more and more about how predators had an entirely different form of society than Prey did, with their own culture, written language and even - supposedly - magic. 

He liked the sound of Zack’s voice, he liked the look of his smile, and most importantly - getting sucked into the stories he was telling was a lot easier than facing the grief that still laid heavy in his chest whenever he had a moment to think. 

It was easier to pretend that he was right there with Zack and his pack in those stories, and so that is what he did.

“ **_Could you go over the different packs again? If I encounter them in the future I really want to know how to handle it as well as possible_ ** ” Cloud asked on the evening of the third day. 

“Sure thing” Zack replied with a grin, crossing his legs and making Cloud have to look away given how exposed it made the other. 

“So, there’s our pack, whose alpha is Sephiroth. Sephiroth is the alpha as he is the strongest, most capable at leadership and well - his grandmother was Jenova. One of the most legendary predators in memory”

“ **_Right, I’ve heard about her. The herbivores and humans in Nibelheim were told stories about her to make sure they ate their vegetables and such. ‘If you aren’t careful, Jenova will come and snatch you up’ and such. The great Calamity… Humans called her a parasite I think, because she was really good at infiltration? No one could tell what she could do or who she was before it was too late?_ ** ”

“That sounds about right, yeah. She always used to wear veils around prey to hide her ears and eyes” 

“ **_Which is likely why most human and herbivore societies now ban covering eyes and ears_ ** ”

“Makes sense, though I wouldn’t know really” Zack replied with a shrug. “But no matter how strong the four of us are, we need allies in this world for many reasons. Allies to go to if humans would attack, if anyone would get sick, for trading, and so on. Our closest ally is Rufus and his pack of cheetahs. Rufus is a lion - a cocky little shit if you ask me - but they’re reliable… Mostly. He tends to word things in those weird ways, you know. Saying one thing while meaning another? I think he gets off on causing confusion and being the only one with control in any situation”

“ **_Humans like to call those kinds of people ‘politicians’_ ** ” Cloud chuckled, knowing that kind of person well. The mayor of Nibelheim had been the exact same way after all. 

“‘Politicians’, huh? I’ll have to remember that. Would be fun to be able to insult him without him knowing about it” Zack said with a chuckle, before suddenly perking up at a noise that came from further away in the forest. 

Cloud perked his head up as well, his ears moving as he tried to locate where the sound came from, while his nose worked hard to figure out what it was. 

“ **_What’s wrong? Are we in danger? What was that?_ ** ” Cloud asked, hackles raised as he looked to Zack for any form of information of what was going on. But Zack didn’t answer, and simply went over to the mouth of the cave, sniffing as well. Soon enough, the strange sound came again and this time - Zack smiled brighter than Cloud had ever seen him this far. He raised his head and howled, getting another noise as a reply, though it was closer this time. 

Alright, so not danger, but what was it then? He wasn’t sure if he had ever heard that kind of noise before. Soon enough the smell of another shifter came closer, accompanied by what sounded like an excited chitter. Zack bounced from foot to foot, as if he wanted to run out and greet whoever it was, but didn’t want to leave Cloud alone. 

Suddenly, as the moon peeked out from between the treetops - Cloud could see a rather large fox running towards them. Mid-step, the fox shifted into a beautiful man with hair the same color of the fox’s coat, and with a happy chitter he threw himself at Zack for an embrace. Zack easily caught him with a laugh and spun him around, peppering kisses all over his face in a greeting before capturing his lips in a proper romantic kiss. 

Once Cloud got over his initial surprise, it all made sense. This had to be Genesis - the fox-mate who was likely to come by to check up on Zack and help him carry the food back to their home. It was a little strange to get to see him in person when all he had known about the man was whatever Zack had told him. It was even stranger for Cloud to see them kiss so deeply - naked - in front of him so openly. Humans and herbivores wore clothes all day every day, and while some light kisses and touches of affection in public was seen as alright, THIS kind of kissing and affection was normally reserved for the privacy of bedrooms. He averted his gaze, unsure of what to do.

“What’s this you picked up, pup? A little pet? Needed something to entertain yourself with out here in the woods by yourself?” Genesis soon asked, pulling Cloud out of the awkward head-space he had been in. He didn’t like the tone nor the implication, and so he growled at the stranger with his ears flat back against his head.

That didn’t seem to bother the fox at all however, as the man simply grinned sharply and took a step closer.

“You haven’t taught him any manners, have you?”

“Knock it off, Genesis. He’s my friend, there’s no need to antagonize him” Zack huffed and rolled his eyes, though he didn’t stop Genesis from his inspection of the blond wolf. Cloud didn’t stop his growling even as Genesis walked around him - at a safe distance of course - and it even increased in volume as Genesis tutted in disapproval. 

“You’re always too sweet on the strays, love. If I knew you’d be this starved for attention I would have come sooner!” he teased, causing Cloud to finally snap. 

“ **_Stop talking about me like I’m not here_ ** ”

“Oh look at that! It  _ can _ speak! And here I feared Zack had accidentally picked up a mute mutt”

“ **_As if you wouldn’t growl at someone whose first response to meeting you is to throw insults. Given all the things Zack has told me about you, I thought you’d at least cite some form of poetry first_ ** ” he huffed, causing Zack to snort a laugh further away. 

“He has a point, Gen” he defended himself when Genesis turned to glare at him. “Not everyone gets your specific brand of ‘greeting’”

“Oh so you could talk about me, but you wouldn’t tell him things like that about me?” Genesis asked, an eyebrow perking up as he was clearly quite unimpressed with his young mate.

“Well, I mostly just gushed about how much I love you” Zack replied with a shrug of his shoulders, but it seemed to please Genesis nonetheless as he ended up letting out a pleased kind of rumble. Foxes didn’t quite purr, but it sounded like something similar at least. 

“Aren’t you sweet” he cooed and walked over to kiss Zack’s cheek. He glanced at Cloud one more time over his shoulder, before turning back to Zack. “I need to talk to you in private, love. I can get to know your new stray afterwards, alright?”

It was said as though it was a suggestion, but even Cloud that didn’t know him could tell that it was - in fact - an order. He knew Zack loved the man, but Cloud quite immediately decided that he didn’t like him. 

“Of course” Zack replied with a grin, kissing Genesis once again on the lips before addressing Cloud. “We’ll be just outside, alright? You don’t have to wait for me if you want to go to sleep, so I’ll see you tomorrow if you do, yeah?”

“ **_Yeah_ ** ” Cloud huffed and shuffled further back into the cave where he had his sleep-spot. He knew his irritation was rather irrational. There was nothing strange about Zack wanting to be alone with his mate, especially seeing as him and Cloud had only known each other for two days. Cloud knew this, but it also reminded him of what he had lost. He couldn’t forget his pain with Zack if Zack wasn’t there with him after all. It did disturb him to realize how dependent he had already become on the other’s presence, but he didn’t know how to deal with it. So for now, he just had to swallow his pride, annoyance, loneliness, and just give Zack some time alone with the foxy bastard.

* * *

Zack followed Genesis out of the cave, not too surprised that his mate wanted to go far enough away that they would have some privacy from even lupine ears. Once they reached an empty clearing at a far enough distance from the cave, Genesis turned around and fixed Zack with a calculating gaze. 

“What happened, Zack? I know you have a bigger heart than is healthy - just like Angeal - but to put your scent on a stranger? That’s too soft even for you” he accused, his eyes glowing a faint green in the dark, just like Zack’s. 

“First off, I’d like to point out that if Ang’s heart wasn’t as big as it is, we wouldn’t be mates today” Zack grinned, putting his hands on his hips. “Second, I honestly thought he was dead when I spotted him. He came floating down the river where I had my nets, and it seemed stupid to waste such an opportunity. Either I would save a life, or I would get more meat for us along with a new fur for the cove. The fact that it turned out to be the first was just a coincidence”

“So you fished him out of a river, and instead of killing him you - what? Adopted him?” Genesis asked with a disbelieving frown. 

“I made a friend, Gen. It’s not that strange of a thing to do. I’m friends with Cissnei, Tseng, Rude and Reno as well”

“Yes but those are valuable allies who can actually give us something”

“Well maybe he can too? Or maybe I just… I don’t know, I couldn’t bring myself to kill him” Zack sighed, the smile finally dropping as he ran a hand through his hair. “He doesn’t have any idea of how our society works. He’s lived with prey his whole life, and they killed his pack. He didn’t even get to say goodbye to his mother, and I don’t know if he’d have known what to do even if he had. His ma managed to just - not teach him anything it seems”

Genesis took in the information, and though he was still frowning - it was softening around the edges. He too had lost his mother and pack just ten years ago after all, and he remembered how lost he had been - even with Angeal at his side. In a way he supposed he envied the fact that the Stranger hadn’t even known what he missed out on when he didn’t manage to retrieve his mother’s body. 

“So you felt sorry for him. I get it, you’ve always been a kind little pup” Genesis finally sighed. “But beyond company here and now, what are you planning on doing with him? Bring him back with us? You know we aren’t looking to expand the pack right now - Seph is paranoid as it is because of the increase in hunters”

“Well I would actually say that the increased number of hunters means it would be  _ clever _ to try to bring someone in - especially someone who knows a thing or two about humans and their weapons”

Now that caught Genesis’ attention, and he took a step closer. “Are you saying you think he can provide inside-information on humans? On Prey?”

“Yeah, I’m sure he can. But beyond that, I’m just curious, you know? We don’t know anythin’ about their lives or cultures and I just… I wanna know more” Zack admitted. “I mean, wouldn’t you? You have several books you can’t read because they’re written by prey after all”

“You… You think he can read their language?!”

“Don’t see why not? He’s an adult who’s lived with them for so long. I think it would be weird if he didn’t” Zack shrugged, though he couldn’t help but be a little smug. He knew Genesis wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation of more knowledge - of access to the many books he could only use as decoration right now. It certainly seemed like Genesis found the idea appealing, if his dilated pupils and unconscious excited chirps were anything to go by. 

“... Why would he teach me, though? There’s nothing I can give in return. Nothing that we have out here with us? Besides, he didn’t seem to like me much”

“Few would like to be objectified the first time they met someone, babe”

“Fine” he huffed, shifting his hip to the side as he lost himself in ideas and thoughts of what he could do. “I will make an attempt to close that bridge between us. I promise. You know I can’t guarantee that Seph and Ang will think that this is a good idea though”

“Leave that to me, alright? It means a lot that you’re willing to try” Zack purred, stepping up closer and leaning in to kiss Genesis on the lips softly. They stayed like that for a while, just trading kisses and enjoying each other's touches. 

“We should head back” Zack murmured into one of the kisses at one point, and though Genesis groaned in disappointment he nodded and let Zack lead him back towards the cave. 

*******

Before they reached it however, just as they got within hearing range, he turned and pushed Zack up against a tree, causing him to let out a lupine huff of surprise. He leaned in to eagerly kiss him then, pressing their bodies close as he nipped at Zack’s lips with a growl. 

“I’ve missed you, pup” he cooed, rolling his hips forward to make their groins rub against each other, earning himself a deep and pleased growl from his mate. “I want you before we go in to sleep”

“How am I supposed to say no when you- hnn - keep doing that?” Zack laughed, his voice deeper with excitement as Genesis continued his eager grinding. They kissed again, tongues sliding wetly against each other and teeth occasionally nipping at lips. 

Their heavy breaths mingled in the cold evening air, but neither felt the cold. 

Once they were both worked up enough, Genesis sank to his knees in the grass and Zack ran his fingers eagerly through his beautiful red hair. It was rare that Genesis got on his knees for him like this. Not necessarily because Genesis didn’t like giving oral sex, but rather because he just loved to tease Zack and getting him to cum in other ways. This was, however, one of the ways to make sure that Zack was loud, and that was what Genesis wanted with this little encounter. 

The Stray may be Zack’s friend, but that didn’t mean he was  _ his _ . Genesis was a jealous creature by nature, and in order for him to fully accept the new wolf as an ally, he had to first stake his claim on Zack. The lone little pup wouldn’t be getting any ideas about trying to steal their Zack away if Genesis showed him just how much their pack loved eachother.

“You’re spoiling me, Gen” Zack laughed softly, spreading his legs a little to make more room for his mate. 

“Not at all, darling. I’ve simply missed your taste” Genesis grinned as he leaned in to nuzzle the groin in front of him, placing a kiss on the shaft almost innocently. Zack wasn’t fully hard yet, but that was fine. Genesis could admit to liking the feeling of a cock growing hard in his mouth while he worked after all. 

He licked and peppered little kisses along the sides and down onto Zack’s balls, earning him several choked off hisses and gasps. 

“Don’t tease…!”

Genesis simply hummed at that, and finally took the cock shallowly into his mouth, rubbing the head of it with his tongue before taking it deeper with a couple of bobs of his head. He purred softly as he could taste more of Zack’s arousal on his tongue, and he had to stretch his lips a little further with every move of his head given that Zack kept growing. 

“ _ Fuck-!  _ You feel so  _ good _ , Genesis…!”

As always, the fox was quite fond of praise and so he moved his head faster until the cock touched at the back of his mouth. He didn’t feel like taking him into his throat quite yet - it was too early - and instead he just focused on running his tongue along the head every time he moved back. It wasn’t long until Zack was struggling not to move his hips and simply give in to the pleasure.

Unfortunately, Genesis hadn’t thought ahead enough to bring their lubricant with him. He figured Zack would have some amongst his equipment, but all of that was currently in the cave with the Stray…! Because of that, he wouldn’t be able to mount Zack, but he was fairly certain he could still stake his claim properly if only they were loud enough. 

Genesis finally decided to take him deeper, and once Zack could feel himself starting to shallowly slip down into his mate’s throat, he let out a rather loud cry of surprised, eager pleasure. 

Fingers teased his balls, a knuckle pressed up between his balls and ass pleasantly and  _ fuck _ Genesis’ mouth was so hot and wet around him…! 

“Gen-!  _ Ah _ ~ I’m going to…! Keep going..!” he encouraged the other, his grip on the red hair tightening as he got closer and closer to the edge. Genesis did keep going, looking up at his beloved with a sultry gaze, and in the end that was what finished Zack off. 

His beautiful mate on his knees, lips stretched around his cock, and his beautiful eyes gazing up at him with nothing but love and lust in them. A stronger man than Zack might have been able to resist, but he didn’t really feel the need to show restraint. Not with Genesis. Not anymore. 

He came with a pleased howl, bucking up and cumming generously into Genesis’ mouth. The fox briefly considered using the cum as lubricant, but found that he would much rather swallow and then have Zack suck him off afterwards. He could wait one day to have his mate in an even more intimate way after all. 

Genesis swallowed eagerly, and when he pulled back - he opened his mouth to show Zack that he’d swallowed all of it. Zack just cursed again when he saw that and tugged Genesis up by his hair (which he knew he liked) so he could kiss him deeply and sloppily. He could taste himself on his beloved’s tongue, and while some men might find that distasteful, Zack had always liked the way his scent and taste mingled with that of his lovers. 

“Your turn, you devil” he purred, and pushed Genesis down onto his back in the grass. The fox laughed and the wolf growled playfully as he nipped and kissed his way down between beautiful legs. 

-

Further away, in the cave, Cloud found himself beyond frustrated and annoyed. He wasn’t surprised, though he couldn’t help but wonder why they had made sure to talk far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to hear them, but still got close enough so that he could hear them fuck. Not only hear them, but fucking  _ smell _ them as well, and it was more frustrating than anything he had experienced thus far. 

Zack was handsome and kind, and even if Cloud couldn’t say that he was in love, he also wasn’t blind. Zack was attractive, and to hear him let out those eager noises was affecting him as well. He honestly hadn’t thought of Zack in a sexual way before then. The only thoughts that had managed to sneak their way into his dreams were thoughts of gentle snuggles and smiles. Now however, all he could think of was Zack’s handsome body and his cock. He’d seen it plenty of times after all, and now that he was introduced to the thought of Zack sexually - He found himself salivating at the thought of making him hard and wanting.

He was both annoyed and relieved that he didn’t have hands currently, because he was hard and frustrated and he would have been able to do something about that if only he didn’t have paws. It would relieve the frustrating tension, but it would also leave a permanent scent where he was sleeping, and Zack would be able to smell it when he got back. It was inappropriate and shameful, but now the option to give in to the temptation was absent at least. 

_ “Ah~ Oh Zack…! You feel so good~” _

Damn that fox…!  _ Damn _ that annoying, pretty little demon…!!! He had to know that he was being loud-! He  _ had _ to know that Cloud could hear them! Was it intentional? Was he just that much of an idiot?!

_ “Good boy, pup~ All the way down..! Yes, like that…! Oh~! Yes, now please-! Swallow around me…!” _

It was confusing and it was frustrating. He had no way to release his own tension, but he could imagine himself in what they were doing. He hadn’t considered it before, but now it was all he could think of. Who would he rather be? The one getting sucked off by Zack or the one doing the sucking? His noises had been so lovely when he was pleasured but the thought of that pretty, smiling mouth wrapped around him…!

_ “I’m going to cum…! Yes~! Keep going! Ah! Oh Zack, fuck-!!!” _

*******

Well, he just hoped that the fucking fox would be happy if he ever got to know that he wouldn’t have had sexual thoughts about his friend if he hadn’t decided to fuck him just outside the cave. 


	4. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genesis helps Cloud with his injuries and MAYBE possibly earns himself a black eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for the support!!! 
> 
> I had planned on this particular part just being the beginning of a bigger chapter with the three of them actually starting to travel, some smut and such, but it just... Became more than that, and it felt wrong to remove the focus by making it a 'side-note' so to speak.   
> Because of that, this chapter is heavy on dialogue and emotions, and more of a 'bridge' to the rest of the story. I would say it's 'filler', but 'filler' implies that it's unimportant and this is quite the opposite. 
> 
> Speaking of important stuff, I was asked about the characters' ages in this and I realized that that MIGHT be a good thing to clarify XD So here we go:
> 
> Cloud - 23  
> Zack - 26   
> Sephiroth - 31  
> Angeal & Genesis - 32

The morning after was awkward, at least for Cloud. Zack and Genesis acted like nothing strange had happened, and technically they were right. They were a couple, they’d been apart for some time and decided to get intimate, so what? That was expected behaviour. It was just the whole deal of them doing it really close to him, but then again the two of them didn’t seem shy about nudity, so maybe it was the same when it came to sex and kisses? He supposed he could ask but that would lead to a lot of uncomfortable discussions. He was admittedly curious about the nudity and casual intimacy given that it was so far away from what he was used to, but what if predators didn’t even have a word for ‘clothes’? It was something that he took for granted, but what if predators just didn’t have a reason to pay attention to?

He was brought out of his distracted thoughts as Genesis sat down in front of him. He was still out of biting-range and he seemed to look over Cloud curiously. Cloud tried to return the gaze firmly, but it was more difficult than he would like to admit. Genesis was a beautiful man, and Zack had made sure to leave a lot of loving marks on his pale skin the night before. 

“ **_... Are you going to keep staring or are you actually going to try to talk to me this time?_ ** ” Cloud asked, not really feeling like being too nice to Genesis until the other had given him a reason to do so. 

“Hmm~ I would prefer to keep staring as it seems to annoy you, but I did promise Zack that I would be talking to you today” Genesis grinned. “I do apologize for my behaviour yesterday. You hadn’t done anything to earn my ire after all. So, I have decided to help you”

“ **_Help me?_ ** ” Cloud huffed, glancing at the opening of the cave and desperately hoping that Zack would be back soon. He had just gone to fetch some water, but he was taking longer than Cloud would have wanted him to. “ **_What do you want to help me with?_ ** ”

“Mainly that nasty wound in your leg” Genesis said with a chirp and head-tilt. “But Zack also told me that your ribs took a blow and I would like to have a look at that too. If you’re going to come with us today, you’ll have to be able to move on your own, and you’ll just be slowing us down at this rate”

Now that was a surprise to Cloud. He had expected Zack to leave him there once it was time for him to go back to his pack - He hadn’t even considered that he would be invited to come along with them. 

“ **_Really? You want me to come with you?_ ** ”

“ _ Want _ is a strong word, but Zack seems to be fond of you. If you’re going to be our ally in the future, you should meet the rest of the pack” Genesis reasoned, and though Cloud suspected that there were things he wasn’t telling him - he also figured it made sense. 

“ **_Alright… But how are you going to help? Zack already wrapped me up as well as he could_ ** ” Cloud pointed out, relaxing just a little bit more.

“Did Zack tell you about magic?”

“ **_A little? He told me some predators can use magic without the help of materia, but he didn’t tell me how…_ ** ” Cloud admitted with a hum. 

“That is because he doesn’t know. Or rather, he knows how it works but he can’t use it. I do however. I would in fact say that it’s a speciality of mine” Genesis bragged, looking rather smug. “All shifters have a specific connection to the Lifestream, which is how we can shift between our different forms. Some of us have a stronger connection to it however, or rather have  _ control _ over our connection to it, which allows us to use magic that humans need tools for”

“ **_Oh… I… Suppose that makes sense_ ** ” Cloud admitted, curious despite himself. “ **_I never considered why we are what we are or why we can do what we do. Is that why our eyes change the more we shift?_ ** ”

“Clever boy” Genesis purred, light surprise on his face. “Yes, that is exactly why. When we shift, we increase our connection to the Lifestream, and the more we do it - the more of the Lifestream you can see in our eyes. When I heal you, you’ll be able to see it even more clearly”

“ **_So that’s what you’ll do? Use magic to heal me?_ ** ” Cloud asked, supposing once again that it made sense, but it flustered him to have Genesis do something that intense for him the first time they met. “ **_It won’t hurt you, will it?_ ** ”

“Not at all. If I use too much magic for an extended amount of time, then yes - it will tire me out. But healing a leg and a couple of ribs? No. At most it’ll make me out of breath for a moment or two”

That didn’t sound too bad and Cloud was honestly curious. He didn’t trust Genesis - not at all actually - but it didn’t sound too bad. It wasn’t like it could get worse in his current situation.

“ **_Sure. Thank you. Do I… Do I need to do something?_ ** ” Cloud asked, his tail flicking with uncertainty. 

“Just lay there and look pretty for me, pup” Genesis grinned and winked at him, causing Cloud to growl. It wasn’t a true growl of anger, but he didn’t like to be teased. Especially not after what had happened the night before. 

Genesis closed his eyes and took a deep breath, seemingly ignoring Cloud. After a moment, his eyes opened and Cloud startled at just how brightly green they were. He had been warned, sure, but it was another thing entirely to actually get to see it. 

Genesis’ hands glowed as well and as he moved his hands over Cloud’s body, he could feel warmth slowly spreading through him. There was a tingle in his leg, almost like the itch of a wound that was just about to heal, and he found that he could breathe easier than before. It didn’t seem to be something that was done in a second, and for a while it was actually rather uncomfortable. Once that started to fade however, Cloud found that he could shift and breathe without any form of discomfort or pain. 

Genesis finally stopped glowing, and Cloud let out a breath he hadn’t been aware that he was holding. He tried to shift and move more properly, stretching and flexing the toes on his now-healed leg. His tail started to wag as he realized that the pain was truly gone, even as he tried to stand up properly. He walked around in a little circle - his tail wagging faster and faster as there truly was no pain left. He even ended up taking a little leap and running a lap around the cave. 

Once Cloud had sated his need to move properly, he walked over to Genesis and gently bumped his head against his face and licked his cheek once in appreciation. 

“ **_Thank you so much! I had no idea it could be that easy to get rid of injuries like mine_ ** ” he said sincerely. “ **_I’ve never seen magic like that before - least of all without any materia! It was impressive_ ** ”

“Don’t mention it” Genesis simply chuckled, though he clearly absolutely wanted Cloud to mention it and keep praising him. “The process isn’t quite done however” he added, causing Cloud to tilt his head to the side in confusion. 

“ **_No? Is there anything left to do?_ ** ”

“Yes. You need to shift into your human form so I can make sure that your injuries are completely and fully healed in that form as well. Magic CAN be a fickle thing, and a couple of times in the past, the healing didn’t quite work fully on both forms. If I need to heal you twice, I’d rather know sooner than later”

A chill jolt of dread went through Cloud at that. Not that he was afraid of the other two, but he… He didn’t want to be naked around them. They would probably find it strange, but it brought him back to the doubts he’d had earlier that morning. Did they even know what clothes were? Would they care? Was it strange of him to be so concerned?

“ **_I… Would rather not_ ** ” he admitted, glancing around the cave with a whine. 

“No? Why not?”

“ **_Well I… I don’t…_ ** ” he stuttered, getting an idea as his gaze landed on the furs that he had slept on until now. He took hold of one of them and pulled it towards himself, making sure that it was within easy reach before he shifted. The moment he had hands, he took hold of the fur and used it to cover the lower parts of his body, especially his groin, and he made sure not to meet Genesis’ gaze.

Meanwhile, Genesis was rather taken aback by Cloud’s human form. Still with innocently rounded ears, beautiful blue eyes, ridiculously spiky hair and cheeks lightly speckled with freckles. He didn’t try to hide his interest as he looked over Cloud’s body either. Sure, he was smaller than any of his mates, but that didn’t mean he lacked strength or was in any way ‘feminine’. He didn’t quite understand why Cloud was blushing, or why he was clutching the fur in such a way though, so he leaned in a little closer with a curious chirp. 

“Hey, are you cold? Is that why you’re covering yourself with fur?” he asked, causing Cloud to blush even deeper. 

“... No” he said, and by Gaia if that wasn’t a lovely voice…! While Genesis himself found him fair, he cursed internally as he realized that Cloud was the exact kind of man that both Zack and Angeal would be drawn towards. This just meant that Genesis had to keep a firmer grip on his mates and show who they truly belonged to, which wasn’t THAT much of a hassle, but he didn’t like the anxiety that it brought. 

“No? Then why are you clinging to that fur?” 

“Because I’m  _ naked _ ”

“What?”

“Naked. You know… Not wearing clothes. Humans and herbivores always wear clothes” Cloud explained, incredibly embarrassed to be so closely observed by the other male. The longer Genesis stared, the more Cloud tried to cover himself up.    
“Look, can you just… Can you check my ribs and legs quickly so I can shift back? Please?”

Genesis was just about to ask more questions, when the sound and smell of Zack returning reached them, and Cloud bundled up even more. 

“Cloud? Are you alright?” he asked, putting down the buckets before approaching them and sitting down next to Genesis. He rubbed their cheeks together and gave him a swift kiss before turning to get a closer look at Cloud. Just as Genesis had predicted, Zack seemed enthralled almost immediately. His pupils dilated just a bit, his head tilted to the side and he scooted a little closer. 

“Hey now! Look at you! If I knew you’d have such a pretty face, I’d have asked you to shift sooner, sunshine!” he purred, reaching over to ruffle Cloud’s hair which earned him a reluctant growl. “You let Genesis heal you, yeah? Are you cold?”

“He’s not. He’s acting like the prey he is” Genesis huffed, defensive now that Zack - as expected - showed quite a bit of interest in the blond. “He feels the need to cover himself from the world just like they do”

“Gen, there’s no need to be rude”

“I’ll be the judge of that” he growled, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s just another sign that he doesn’t belong with us. Where’s the pride of a predator? Only  _ prey _ hide from the world and are ashamed of what and who they are”

“Genesis!” Zack protested, but he didn’t get the chance to defend Cloud as the other wolf stood up and glared down at the fox with a snarl. He was still clutching the fur around his hips, but there was nothing shy or shameful about how he held himself. 

“You talk shit about prey and seem to think of them as below you, but let me tell you a thing or two. I have pride in what I am, but I am even more proud of the people I love. The prey that I love. The herbivores and omnivores that made up my pack and my family” he said coldly, as both Genesis and Zack stood up. Genesis seemed to lean into the challenge, but Zack looked conflicted about whether or not he should interfere. 

“Your pack consisted of  _ prey _ ? No wonder you’re so weak and lost them to humans” Genesis taunted, causing Cloud to actually snap and punch him in the face. He let out a yelp at the pain and took a step back as Zack took a step forward to support him. He held him upright, but didn’t really scold Cloud for what he had done. Genesis may be his mate, but what he had said had been needlessly cruel and sometimes he needed to learn the hard way. 

“Yes, my pack consisted of prey and I am  _ proud _ of them. They are the strongest people I know, and if I hear you talk shit again, I’ll punch out  _ every single one _ of your teeth and make you swallow them” Cloud threatened, his eyes glowing a faint green in his fury. 

“They have nothing. No claws, no fangs, everyone’s out to eat them or just kill them for sport. They’re surrounded daily by people who eat their kindred animals, they are on the bottom of the food chain, the world is against them in every fucking way, but you know what? They don’t give up. They smile in the face of hardship, they fight with everything they have to reach the strength that we had the luxury to be fucking  _ born _ with. A herbivore can reach our strength if they fight and practise through years of hardship and trials, but to us it’s as easy as breathing.  _ I am not impressed by breathing _ , and neither should you. Your nakedness isn’t what makes you a barbarian - it’s your childish, shitty attitude”

With those harsh words, Cloud turned towards the opening of the cave and stormed out, still holding onto the fur around his hips. Both Genesis and Zack were appropriately stunned, though Zack was for more reasons than one. Not only was Cloud the cutest man he’d ever seen - he was apparently quite the fiery beast as well. No, he didn’t like that Genesis had been hit by him, of course not - but he had deserved it. He had made fun of the pack that Cloud had lost after all.

“.... Way to back me up, Zackary” Genesis hissed, holding his cheek and keeping his gaze on the entrance of the cave. 

“Honestly, sometimes you just have to let cubs put their paws in a beehive if they are to learn not to antagonize bees” Zack simply replied, making Genesis frown deeper. Having Angeal’s words repeated to him by their younger mate just brought home further just how rude he had just been. “I’m not gonna scold you or tell on you, I think you learned your own lesson. I  _ will _ go check up on him though. He seemed upset” Zack added, already walking towards the exit. 

While Genesis wanted to reach out and stop him, he also realized that he was acting like a petulant pup. This wasn’t Zack leaving him, he knew that. Zack would come back like he always did, and Genesis was in the wrong. He didn’t like to admit it, but he knew it was true, so he let Zack go. 

Zack was briefly worried that Cloud would have left them completely, but luckily he spotted him just further away, leaning his back against a tree. He looked small and spiky bundled up in furs as he was, but the way his bright hair caught the sunlight still made him look… Ethereal. 

Zack approached him gently and sat down at a slight distance. Cloud didn’t address him and didn’t react to him sitting down, but Zack knew very well that he knew that he was there. 

“Hey. I’m sorry for Genesis - I don’t know why he’s acting like this” Zack sighed, running a hand through his own hair. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just… angry” Cloud admitted, and if Zack’s heart happened to skip a beat at the sound of his voice, then that was a secret he’d keep to himself. 

“I know that I’m not like other predators… I know I might do things that don’t make sense to you, but this… It’s all I’ve ever known. I didn’t belong then, and I obviously don’t belong with predators. Maybe I was meant to just be a lone wolf forever…”

“Hey now, no” Zack protested and scooted closer. “You’re a wolf, like me, and we are never meant to be lonely. We need our packs. Genesis doesn’t get that, nor do the others really. They need packs and families sure, but not like we do. I understand-”

“No Zack, you really don’t” Cloud snapped, wiping away a tear that managed to escape and trail down his cheek. “You grew up with other predators. You lost your pack, but at least you belonged in it. The only way I could stay with my pack was if I lied about what I was - if I said I was just a regular dog. They didn’t know me, because if they had I would have died. I was always a threat to them - a monster. I didn’t belong with them, and Genesis is right. I don’t belong with predators either”

“Yeah okay, I’m going to stop you right there “ Zack said, placing a finger on Cloud’s mouth to stop him from speaking when the other was about to protest. “Nope. There’s no way I’m gonna let you sit there and talk shit about yourself while also assuming stuff about me or my mates. I can’t relate to your pain or what you went through. It sounds like hell honestly, and it makes me sad to hear it. But I can still understand that you’re in pain even if I don’t have the same experience. I don’t have to relate, I just have to understand that I can’t. But that means that you have to understand that I want to understand and know more about how to help you, yeah?” he said with a smile. He removed his finger, and this time Cloud stayed silent with his eyes fixed on Zack’s face, as if he was looking for signs of dishonesty or mockery. There was none, and it did make Cloud relax a little. 

“That… Makes sense I guess…”

“I know, it’s what Angeal told me a couple of years ago when we became a pack and I was an angsty teen” Zack teased, poking Cloud’s forehead playfully. “All I know now is that you are alright and won’t go running off on me before you’re ready. Genesis did deserve that punch, but try not to get into fights with him anymore than necessary. Seph isn’t as understanding as I am. I’ll talk to him as well and try to figure out why he’s so determined to be a complete dick to you. If it happens again though, is it alright if I step in and stop it before it comes to blows? … At least if it’s of the painful kind. Some  _ blows _ are nicer than others” he joked, wiggling his eyebrows and laughing as it caused Cloud to blush and hide his face in his hands. 

“It’s not nice to tease like that” Cloud scolded, not really able to hide his relieved laugh. “But yeah, it would be nice if you could stop us before we get that far. I don’t like having to get violent like that. Thank you… For everything” he said as he looked up, a beautiful little smile on his lips. Zack found himself grinning even wider and leaning in to bump their foreheads together gently. 

“That’s a much better look on you. Frowning doesn’t suit you”

“Thanks. Careful with that hard head of yours though, or I think you’ll bruise me”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Just a little”

“So rude! And here I was being all nice and giving compliments and shit”

The teasing banter made Cloud laugh again, his chest fluttering with warmth and affection for the other. It was easier to breathe with Zack by his side, somehow. It was as if he hadn’t been able to breathe until Zack’s smile taught him how. 

If only he could have more than just a smile.


	5. Mud, caterpillars and realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some rough-housing, talking, realizations about feelings and penis touching. You know - Just a regular ol' journey with the lads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really have much to say this time around other than THANK YOU for your kind words, your support and I hope you keep enjoying it!
> 
> I am also welcoming ideas and suggestions/stuff you would like to see explored. I have several things planned out, of course, but discussing things and getting feedback and input from others tends to help to improve the story. Or it could just mean suggestions for cute smut situations or other interactions.

The two wolves stayed outside by that tree, just talking about everything and nothing, until Cloud’s eyes were no longer puffy and he looked more relaxed.

“You think you’re ready to get back and fetch our stuff so we can leave?” Zack asked, rubbing their cheeks together gently with a content rumble. 

“Hmm…. I suppose so” Cloud hummed, placing a platonic kiss on Zack’s cheek. “But be ready to deal with Genesis if he decides to insult my pack again”

“I will. I’ll talk to him about it too - foxes aren’t pack-creatures like we are” Zack sighed, scratching at a patch of hair just behind his pointed ear. “None of my mates are naturally looking to create packs, so they don’t really get why I need so much social contact. To them it’s more of a beneficial thing - if we weren’t mates I doubt they’d even stay in the same territory. But the two of us, we…. Well, based on what you’ve told me I can only assume that you’ve caught onto a wolf’s instinctual need to form packs”

“Yeah, you could say that. I never even told them that that’s how I saw them though” Cloud sighed and leaned his head on Zack’s shoulder. “I mean Tifa is a horse, so she may have understood, but Aerith is a bunny and Barret is a badger, so I don’t think they’d get it”

“Maybe not, but it’s pretty cool that a bunny would be so close to you. Not that you aren’t a great, kind guy and stuff, but I was always told that rabbits and bunnies would just run from us if they so much as picked up a faint trace of scent” Zack hummed.

“Most bunnies might, but Aerith has never backed down from a fight. Let’s just say that I wasn’t the alpha of the pack” Cloud admitted with a chuckle. 

“Nah, I know a beta when I see one”

“Hah hah” Cloud said sarcastically with an eyeroll and a small smile as he stood up. He offered a hand to Zack to help him up, and once they were both on their feet, they rubbed their cheeks together again as a sign of friendship.

“.... Race you back to the cave?” Zack asked with a broad grin, causing Cloud’s smile to go more smug.

“Sure. Just don’t make me wipe your tears when I beat you” he teased and then leapt in the direction of the cave - shifting mid-step. Zack laughed and then followed suit. 

“ **_You cheater!_ ** ” Zack barked and pushed to reach Cloud so he could nip at his tail playfully. 

“ **_I saw an opportunity and I took it. Don’t be pissy just because I’m faster than you_ ** ” Cloud yipped in return, before letting out a very lupine yelp as Zack threw himself at him in a tackle - sending them both to roll in a nearby pile of leaves. They tumbled and wrestled for a bit - panting and nipping at each other playfully. Their tails were wagging happily, playful growls mixing with the sound of dry leaves as they played and tugged at each other's coats.

Cloud had been right that he was faster - cheating or no - but Zack was stronger, and so Cloud ended up on his back under Zack. He still wriggled as the two snapped their jaws at each other playfully.

“When you two puppies are done, come and help me carry our food. I don’t want to be away from home longer than I have to” Genesis suddenly said, interrupting them in their game. He had spotted them from the cave’s opening and hadn’t wanted to interrupt them at first. But when neither of them seemed to be about to stop, he felt like he had to say something.

Zack seemed completely unbothered, his tail still wagging happily as he barked and leapt over to rub himself against Genesis lovingly. The large, black beast placed enough lupine kisses on Genesis’ face that the latter sputtered and laughed, trying in vain to push his younger mate away for just a moment. 

“Yes Zack, you’re very cute and I love you too, but you still have to help me carry the crates”

“ **_Oh come on_ ** ” Zack huffed, shifting into his human form so he could press human kisses on Genesis’ neck instead. “I caught all of it - You carry it”

“Not a chance, pup” Genesis laughed, ruffling Zack’s hair as Cloud rolled over and shifted into a human as well. He made sure to sit with his legs crossed however, and was actually reluctantly happy that Genesis and Zack were distracted with each other. He didn’t think Zack would mind the fact that he’d grown half-hard during their game, but for his own sense of dignity he still kept himself hidden. He kept his gaze away from the two, his face relaxing into a pout as he tried to think of boring things that would make him soft again, seeing as he had lost his precious crotch-cover-furs. 

“The load won’t be overly heavy to carry this time around. We have Cloud to help us” Zack pointed out, causing Genesis to grin. 

“Well you know I’d always rather carry your load myself, but in this case I suppose I can share” he teased, which just made Zack laugh. 

“Now that’s a lie if ever I heard one. You love to share my load… Or share Angeal’s and Sephiroth’s loads with me”

_ Well there went Cloud’s attempts at going soft…!!! _ He growled and stood up. 

“I’m going to wash off in the river. I’ll join you soon - Zack got mud all over me” he called to them over his shoulder as he left, and though Zack looked a little confused, Genesis knew what had happened. 

“He didn’t seem to mind the mud before….”

“He doesn’t. He just needed the cool water to calm his member down”

“You don’t know that…”

“Babe, your nose is stronger than mine. Surely you could smell it”

“I mean yeah, but he’s a healthy young male? It’s a natural reaction? Why would he have to fix it? It’s not like we would react or tease him? I mean look at me - I’m hard too!”

“Yes, but remember how we fought about the fact that prey feel the need to cover themselves? I bet it’s one of those things again. Covering up because they are ashamed of such natural, bodily things”

“You’re assuming stuff again, Gen…”

“Yes, but why else would he do this? Doesn’t it make sense?”

“It does, but…!” Zack protested, before sighing. “If it comes up again I’ll just ask him about it. He doesn’t have to hide from us, and he should know that”

“He probably does, but feelings are sometimes stronger than logic” Genesis shrugged, causing Zack to raise an eyebrow and look at him in disbelief. 

“... Earlier you earned yourself a punch, and now you’re suddenly an expert on emotions?”

“You’re not the only one who has to listen to Angeal’s lectures all day, pup. Now how about I do something about that hard-on of yours so you can concentrate at the work that has to be done?”

“Did I tell you how much I love you yet?”

“Not this morning, but keep on talking and I’ll make it even better for you”

“Yes sir!”

\--

  
  


Meanwhile, Cloud was almost desperately scrubbing himself off in the river. The cold water did help with many things. It woke him up, it made his cock soft again, and it did make him clean given how Zack had managed to get a lot of mud and leaves onto him. He even found a caterpillar in his hair when he washed it out. 

But being on his own gave him time to think, and he didn’t know what to do. Part of him wanted to create distance between Zack and himself. They would have to split up in the future, and it would save him a lot of pain if he just made sure to never form that emotional connection in the first place. Now, that would be the clever thing to do, but the problem was that it was already too late. 

He had known Zack for four days, and already he was more interested in him than he had ever been in anyone else. He hadn’t even considered being with anyone sexually or romantically until now…! And then Zack just fucking happened-! 

Zack with his kind eyes, his bright smile and comforting presence. He played with him, took care of him even though it would have been easier to just let him drown, comforted him after the fight with  _ Zack’s mate _ …! Yes, the affection had been platonic, he hadn’t thought of Zack sexually until Genesis arrived, but now he couldn’t stop! He wanted the kisses to mean more! He wanted the touches to mean something to the other wolf, and for the first time in his life he actually wanted sex. He just… He wanted Zack. It was wrong on so many levels, and he let out a loud groan of frustration into his hands.

Zack was so off-limits it wasn’t even funny. He was already mated with no less than three other males…! There was no way he could ruin that, even unintentionally. He could recognize that these feelings were there, and still not… Not act on it. He wouldn’t let his silly little crush ruin anything for Zack. Not when Zack had done so much for him.

And so, he was determined to keep his affection platonic. He would not give in to act on his affection. 

\---

Six hours later, they had managed to walk quite far even despite their heavy cargo (Genesis kept referring to it as ‘their heavy load’ to Zack’s amusement and Cloud’s dismay). Cloud remained silent for the most part of the journey, leaving the banter to Genesis and Zack. While Genesis and Cloud had reached some form of silent truce, neither made an actual effort to interact with each other, which meant that Zack had to carry most of any conversation they had. He sometimes stopped them to explain some phenomenon or thing of cultural significance to Cloud as they walked, such as markings on trees and rocks. It was all very interesting, but Cloud was also too anxious to relax whenever they stopped moving. Zack was just too bright and kind, and Cloud was happy to just let him talk, but it was difficult to not let his affection show the more focus he had on the other.

They kept moving until night started to fall, and only stopped once it became truly dark. The moon was hidden deep behind clouds, and the ground was pitch black. They could see a little, but it became bothersome and they did want to rest and sleep. 

They set up a little camp with Cloud under one tree, and Zack and Genesis under another further away. Genesis didn’t want Cloud and Zack to share a bed for now, and Cloud agreed. Zack was a little confused by it, but if he was the only one who wanted to cuddle platonically - then who was he to push? He didn’t want to make them uncomfortable after all. 

Humans would have had to station out guards and keep watch, but their senses were sensitive enough that there was no need to do so. The moment danger approached, they would wake and deal with it. To further make them feel safe, Genesis put up a lesser barrier around them that would warn them in good time if Hunters or bigger predators were around. Once they had eaten a light dinner, Cloud went over to his little spot and wrapped himself up in the furs he’d been given, while Genesis and Zack went over to where they were going to sleep. 

\---

Once Cloud was asleep, Genesis rolled on top of his mate to kiss him hungrily. Zack had been on the verge of falling asleep, but woke up swiftly enough at the heated kisses. Genesis wasn’t shy about what he wanted, and even without words it was beyond clear that he wanted to have ‘proper’ sex.

“Babe, I want you too but we have to leave camp if we’re going to fuck” Zack whispered, nipping along Genesis’ jaw. “Don’t wanna wake Cloud”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to be quiet, hm~?” Genesis purred, spreading Zack’s thighs apart so he could settle between them and rock them together. Zack gasped sharply at that, covering his mouth with his hand even as he encouraged the movement with thrusts of his own. 

Normally Genesis would be more than happy to let Zack top him. There was no shame in either position after all, and neither of them usually had any preference. Tonight, however, Genesis felt the need to claim Zack properly. The wanton little blond wolf occupied Zack’s thoughts far too much, and Genesis wanted to remind him of just who his mate was and how lucky he was to have him. He didn’t want to be forgotten - he didn’t want Zack to be tempted to leave them - and his anxiety and fears simply didn’t let him rest without claiming his beloved. 

He reached over to the closest bag (placed there  _ very _ deliberately), and took out a vial of lubricant. He distracted Zack with kisses and lazy rolls of his hips as he coated two fingers with the slick substance. When he slipped the first finger inside, he made sure to silence Zack’s moan with a deep kiss. He added a second finger inside not too long after the first, knowing that the other enjoyed the slight pain of forced stretching, and could feel Zack grin against his lips. 

“I know what you’re doing, Gen” he breathed, still doing his best to keep quiet.

“I’m fingering you, beloved. Given that I have two fingers up your ass I thought you’d figure it out” he teased, leaning down to nip and kiss at the mating mark he had left on Zack’s neck. It earned him another breathless whine, and he could feel Zack squeeze tight around his fingers.

“Smartass…~! _ Ah..! _ I mean I know why-why you’re determined to do this here”

“Is that so? Do I have to have a reason~? Other than the fact that my mate happens to be right here and _ very _ tempting?”

“You don’t h-ave to be afraid, love…~ I promise…. I love you”

“I know you do”

“Then stop trying to fight over me like I’m a piece of meat” Zack scolded, before he broke off into another sweet moan as Genesis added a third finger.    
“Just trust me. Believe me when I s-say I love you”

Genesis found himself flustered despite his attempts to stay stoic and unafraid. He was unsure, and he hated that. But Zack was so open and loving, and he honestly felt silly for even being slightly worried about it all. Feeling silly about it didn’t mean he’d let either of them sleep without cumming in Zack at least once though.

“I love you too” Genesis promised finally with a kiss as he slid his fingers out and lined himself up. “I love you so very much…! I never want to let you go”

“You have to, babe, or many things would become awkward really quick” Zack teased, trying to make Genesis relax by joking. It had the opposite effect however as Genesis - of course - chose that very moment to seat himself fully inside Zack with a single, forceful thrust. It shut the wolf up really quick, or rather forced him to stop using actual words. Given the high-pitched whine he let out, it wouldn’t be right to claim that Zack had actually shut up. 

Genesis tried to drag the moment out, silencing Zack with kisses as often as he could, and stopping him from touching himself. But as they rocked together - warmth and affection flowing through their mating bond - it became sincerely difficult to hold back. They panted against each other, letting out little pleased grunts and muffled moans as they got closer and closer to the edge. 

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of their tiny camp, Cloud was biting down on his own hand to stay quiet as his other hand moved fast and slick over his cock. 

_ Of course _ he had been able to hear them,  _ of course _ he had figured it would happen, _ of course _ he could smell them, and  _ of course _ it would affect him to hear it. The moment he had smelled Zack’s arousal, he grew hard and way too hot under his blanket of furs. He could only hope that they wouldn’t be able to smell or hear him, unlikely though it was. They were clearly lost in each other and their pleasure, while Cloud was left to dream and make things up. 

He could hear Zack’s breathy little gasps, his tiny moans and even the way he laughed sometimes during sex. Who even did that!? Whenever Cloud had heard of sex or imagined it, he had figured that it was a purely quiet, instinctual thing that just happened. But there they were, just laughing and having a hushed conversation while Genesis was  _ fucking _ Zack. While Genesis had his fucking _ penis _ inside Zack…! Gaia, wasn’t that a strange thought?

While he didn’t think he’d mind to be inside Zack, he couldn’t help but think of earlier when they had been wrestling in the pile of leaves. The way Zack’s strong body completely covered his own, the easy confidence with which he did it…! Oh yes, that was definitely what Cloud wanted for now. 

_ “Mm~! Please…! Faster…!”  _

Cloud nearly whimpered as he heard the pure need in Zack’s voice then. Was that how he would make him sound? He thought back to their game, thought about how easy it would have been for the both of them to just shift into their human forms, to lean in closer… To kiss…! To rub their cocks together as Cloud made Zack let out those sweet noises and-!

“Ah~!”

This time, the noise came from Cloud himself and he quickly shoved two fingers into his mouth to bite down on in order to muffle any further sound. He jerked himself off faster, his whole body tingling as he got closer to the edge. The couple on the other side seemed to approach their end as well, as they started to make louder and louder noises, the sound of flesh slapping against flesh grew faster and more erratic, and Cloud was helpless to resist the urge to follow their pace. 

As Genesis and Zack came - kissing ‘I love you’s against each other’s lips - Cloud did as well. He had no one to kiss, and nothing to do about the seed that now coated his fingers, other than wipe it on the grass next to him. 

His chest ached at the sound of sweet kissing from further away, and had to settle for licking the marks his teeth left on his hand. 

Ah well. It was a small price to pay for Zack’s happiness.


	6. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio finally reach the den, but literally nothing goes according to plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will note that the tags have changed, or rather - that some tags have been added. I understand that this will mean that some of you will leave, and that makes me sad of course, but this is something that I wanted to do from the beginning. I just didn't know if I dared or not. 
> 
> Enjoy~
> 
> Trigger warning: EXTREMELY DUBIOUS CONSENT!!! Because of heat/rut, the three characters involved cannot give consent. All of them are quite eager and willing, so to speak, but none of them are in the right state of mind to actually be able to consent. If this bothers you, skip the rest of the chapter after Angeal reaches out to touch Cloud

“Right, let’s go over the plan again” Zack said, standing next to his cargo in front of Cloud and Genesis. Genesis had decided to sit down, but Cloud had refused to do so. Not because he wasn’t tired, or had a specific pride to care for, but because if he - he would be eye to eye with Zack’s cock. He was getting used to being around them even though they were all naked but that would be too much to him right now. 

“Is it really necessary?” asked Genesis, leaning back and enjoying the sunlight that filtered through the leaves above them. 

“Yes, I think it is. Just to make sure that I haven’t missed anything important” Zack said with a nod. “So, we make sure to get in while the two are busy with their daily bath. Winter is coming, which means they won’t be able to bathe as much soon, so they’ll try to get in at least one round of swimming per day before then. They will likely react to Cloud’s scent, but he’s also got my smell on him, so that should be enough to keep them from killing him on sight”

‘Ah yes’ thought Cloud, shifting from one foot to the other. ‘That nice reminder is always fun. Knowing that the only thing keeping me from being torn apart by a tiger is that Zack has rubbed cheeks with me for a week’

“We explain the situation, ask if he can spend the winter with us to learn things about predator society while he teaches us important things about prey and their hunting, and then in spring we part as allies. They might ask Cloud to leave while we go over it, but both Genesis and I will be arguing for Cloud to stay. Angeal is a big softie and will likely be convinced somewhat swiftly, and Seph never says no to all three of us. So, in conclusion, it’ll be a piece of cake!” Zack said, mostly speaking to himself now. Zack did always like to go through his thoughts out loud rather than keep them to himself, as though it was easier to catch any possible flaws if he could hear them. 

“Yes yes, it will all be fine and dandy. Cloud will help us hunt for food and help out around the den as well” Genesis said, waving a hand dismissively in the air as he stood up and stretched with a pleased chirp. “Let’s just go home.”

“Right” Zack said with an eager nod, once again picking up his cargo and heading towards wherever their den was. Genesis followed, singing some song in a language Cloud couldn’t understand, and Cloud simply followed silently behind them. 

It was unnerving to be inside someone else’s territory. It was large, and marked with many scents. There were two especially that had him on edge for some reason, and seeing as he didn’t recognize them immediately, he had to assume that it was Angeal and Sephiroth that had left those traces. Some trees were marked with claws, some with teeth, but most of the markings were invisible in the form of scents. He had found that they were moving a trail that smelled the strongest of Zack, and he could only assume that this was his favourite part of the territory. 

He could both smell and hear the sound of animals around them, but given how much food they already had, they weren't interested in hunting at the moment. There were many trees in the area, combined with many collections of large rocks - seemingly perfect for sunbathing on warm days. 

As they went in deeper, they soon approached a large mountain with a cave opening set somewhat high up. It would be difficult for humans to climb, but not for predators with agile bodies and claws. 

Zack shifted form and scaled the mountain without any issues, one of the bags in his mouth. Genesis followed suit, having to take one of the smaller bags as he was much smaller than Zack. Cloud hesitated just for a moment, but finally sighed and shifted as well so that he could help. He wasn’t as used to this particular path, but it was easy enough to make his way up. Once all the crates and bags were inside, Zack and Genesis shifted back into their human forms so they could carry the stuff inside easier. 

Cloud followed suit, but he was admittedly slower seeing as he was distracted by everything around them. 

To a human, there was nothing strange or special about the cave they were in. It looked rather shallow at first glance, little piles of leaves, twigs and skeletons from prey in several corners. When Cloud looked closer however, he could see that they were placed there rather deliberately. He couldn’t pinpoint quite how he knew, but it looked like they were there to give the impression that it was just an ordinary cave. 

The smell of the entrance was enough to almost make Cloud stagger, but a human wouldn’t have noticed it. They were mingled close in a heady cocktail of _tiger-bear-wolf-fox_ , and he could feel every single hair on his body standing on end. He was intruding in a much stronger predator’s home, and his instincts were going haywire. 

When he looked back to where he had seen Genesis and Zack last, he startled as he realized that they were gone. He couldn’t tell if their smells had disappeared, given how potent the other scent markings were, but he tried to approach the area still. He sniffed carefully at the wall of stone, hesitant to reach out and touch it. 

Suddenly, Zack poked his head out _through_ the wall, with a bright smile, causing Cloud to leap back with a startled scream. 

“Sorry for scaring you, sunshine” Zack laughed, stepping through the wall fully and offering a hand to the smaller male. “It’s an illusion meant to keep humans away - most predators have them. It’s hard to know which things you know and which you don’t, but I suppose I should have seen this one coming” he admitted sheepishly. 

Cloud tried to get his breathing and rapidly beating heart under control, but soon nodded and managed to relax. 

“Right… Illusion… Genesis’ work?”

“Yeah. The rest of us can sort of use magic as well, though I’m admittedly the most shit at it, but Genesis is the master mage. Come - let’s go inside! I can’t wait to show you around!” Zack said eagerly, and Cloud was unable to hold back a smile. Even in this form, Cloud could imagine how fast Zack’s tail would be wagging. 

He reached out and took the offered hand, only to yip as he was tugged closer to Zack. Skin against skin, chest against chest, as Zack rubbed himself against Cloud without shame. Cloud blushed deeply at it, trying desperately to make sure he wouldn’t get an erection from the contact. He tried to push Zack away (half-heartedly) with a tiny whine. 

“Zack…! What are you doing-!?”

“I’m scenting you. I know you smell of me already, but it can’t hurt to give you a little extra” was the reply, as though this was a completely normal thing to do. Hey, maybe it was, but it flustered Cloud nonetheless. The explanation made sense, and though Cloud had to think hard about the elderly ladies in the village, he managed to keep himself from growing an erection. Too soon, and not soon enough, Zack stepped back but held onto Cloud’s hand as he lead him through the wall. 

The feeling of stepping through the illusion was strange - Like stepping through a cold stream that made his body tingle as though it was wet and dripping. When he looked down at himself though, he was as dry as he was before. He shook off the instinct to shake the wetness from himself, and instead focused on the magnificent hall around him. 

Because that’s the only thing it could be described as - a Hall. A great spacious hall that looked like it could belong in a human mansion, but where everything was made of stone or leather instead of wood and fabric. The walls had been carved out, there were little lights trapped in jars along them to light the space up. From the ceiling hung something that looked like a cluster of large, green crystals as though it was a chandelier. Upon closer inspection, Cloud could see that they didn't only hang from the ceiling - they grew out of the stone around them, and lit up the room with a green glow. 

There were two rows of openings to smaller caves - three closer to the ceiling and five along the floor. Some of them had hide hanging in front of them as a form of ‘door’, and some were open. The entire space had several outcrops with soft piles of hides and furs, like humans would have sofas or arm-chairs, and the walls were decorated with what could only be described as art. Cloud had no idea how it had all been made, but he found himself stunned in surprise at the simple beauty of it all. He hadn’t expected something like this in a cave…!! Humans had always told him that predators were uncivilized beings acting only on instincts, living in their own filth and dirt in the forest like other animals, but this was clear proof that those had all been lies. Or rather, a human might have found it simple and uncivilized, but Cloud could see the beauty in it. 

“Pretty neat, huh?” Zack said with a grin and a nudge, bringing Cloud out of his stunned silence. 

“It’s… I don’t know what to say…!” Cloud admitted with a blush. Actually, he was feeling rather warm and strange now that they were there. The scents were so strong - so intense - and he was starting to feel as though he wanted to climb out of his own skin. He was restless, warm and fidgety, and he had no idea why. 

“Hey, Cloud? Are you alright?” Zack asked, frowning in worry as he tugged Cloud over to a ‘couch’ nearby so he could sit. “You’re burning up…! What’s going on? Hey Gen! You didn’t throw some kind of protection spell, right?” he asked over his shoulder, causing Genesis to join them on Cloud’s other side. 

“No… Not other than the illusion. Had he been human he would have been hit by it, but he shouldn’t be affected at all” he hummed, feeling along Cloud’s forehead and cheeks with cold hands. “Something’s very wrong…. His scent is starting to change”

“Yeah I can tell, but how-”

“Genesis? Zack? Who is that?”

Cloud was starting to tremble as he raised his gaze towards whoever had spoken, and Zack turned around with a big smile. 

“Ang! Seph!” he cheered, leaping up to run over to his other mates. Just like he had predicted, both of them were still wet from their swim. He jumped up onto the dark-haired male, counting on him being able to catch him - Which he did, but with a light laughing curse. 

“It’s good to see you too, Zack” the man replied, kissing Zack deeply before putting him down. Zack then went over to the white-haired man, who had not once stopped staring at Cloud, and peppered his face with kisses as well. He seemed too tense to return Zack’s affection however, and took a couple of calculating steps towards Cloud. 

“Who is this?” the white-haired male asked, and Cloud felt entirely pinned in place. He couldn’t move, but he also couldn’t break eye-contact. Those eyes…. They were impossible to look away from. 

“Relax Seph” Zack said, stepping in between them and forcibly breaking their eye-contact. 

Right. So the silver-haired one was Sephiroth. That had to mean that the large man eyeing him curiously with crossed arms was Angeal. Cloud tried to take a deep breath, but found that it was growing more difficult to breathe now that they were there, and he ended up gasping lightly for air. Genesis frowned in concern and wiped Cloud’s forehead. He had a suspicion, but he sincerely hoped it wasn’t true. If it was, then bringing Cloud there had been a _huge_ mistake.

“What’s wrong with him?” Angeal asked, and _curse his soft heart_ , he moved closer to Cloud. He kneeled in front of him, letting out a soft rumble as he reached out to gently put a hand against his forehead. In doing so, the scent glands on his wrists got close to Cloud’s nose, and he found himself convulsing with a painful groan. He pressed into Angeal’s touch, clinging to the arm as he felt a hot, painful flare go through his body and settling between his legs. 

Both Angeal and Sephiroth staggered backwards as though they’d been slapped, their pupils dilated and eyes glazed over as Cloud curled in on himself. 

“ _Omega…!?_ ” Angeal hissed, covering his nose and mouth with a hand as he tried to take a step back. They managed to glance at each other once in clear panic as they tried to leave the room. They were stopped when Cloud let out a loud, high-pitched whine however, as the sound caused both Sephiroth and Angeal to take another step forward, both clearly intent on getting closer to the omega. 

After that, everything happened very quickly. Angeal reached out to try to touch Cloud again, but his hand was slapped away by Sephiroth who snarled at him. Angeal immediately snarled back, taking the challenge for what it was. He tried to touch him again, but this time Sephiroth took hold of his wrist and threw him across the room and into one of the stony walls. He stalked after him, completely stuck in the mindset of a _rut - claim - dominate - win_ , which left Cloud alone and writhing next to Genesis. 

As the roars of Angeal and Sephiroth grew louder, Genesis and Zack carried Cloud into one of the nearby bed-caves. They were both stressed, frustrated and worried, but they knew they had to get Cloud away for now. They couldn’t have him out in the open against a wall - he needed to lay down. Sure, they hadn’t known that he was an omega, but he obviously was, and he had just gone into heat - from the scent it seemed like it was his first one. 

They put him down on the bed of furs, and then left him despite his whines and wordless pleas for them to stay. Had they not been betas, they would have been unable to leave at all. 

“How could you not tell me that he was an omega?!” Genesis accused, his eyes glowing faintly in his frustration. 

“Because I obviously had no idea!!” Zack snarled in return, running both his hands through his hair as he paced back and forth in helpless frustration. 

“How could you not have known!?”

“You spent several days with him too!”

“Yes but _YOU_ were on ‘fill him in on the culture’ duty!”

“I didn’t think I’d have to talk to him about this! I didn’t have to tell him that he has arms, did I?! How can he be an unbloomed omega at his age!?”

“It makes sense, I suppose. Prey don’t have alphas, betas or omegas like we do…! I suppose this just confirms the theory that omegas and alphas require the pheromones of the other present in order to bloom…!”

“Well we have to stop them! We can’t let Sephiroth or Angeal in there now - they’ll _claim_ him…!”

“What - you want to get in between them _now_?!” Genesis snarled, just as the loud boom of a body hitting stone echoed around them. “It’s suicide to get between an alpha in rut and an omega in heat, you know that”

“Of course I do but…! How in the everlasting _fuck_ did he manage to trigger _both_ of their ruts…!?”

“Maybe because it’s his first heat so late in life?”

“Still, what are we going to do-!?”

They didn’t manage to get any further than that, as Sephiroth suddenly approached them. His eyes were glowing brightly, his pupils fully dilated and his fangs were bared in a snarl. His lip was bleeding and he was bruised, but didn’t seem worse off than that for now. He growled at the both of them, and they backed away without question. They were usually enough for him during his ruts, but they knew they couldn’t compare to the scent of virgin omega in the room next to them. 

Meanwhile, Cloud had no idea what was happening to him. His entire body was burning, he was sweating as he writhed on top of the many furs around him. He could smell traces of the alphas around him, and that combined with the sounds of two alphas fighting over him made him even more affected and wet than before. 

He was hard, his skin was tingling, and as he tried to move his hand down between his legs, he could feel that he was warm and wet. The part of him that was still sane and aware was terrified by this discovery. What was it? Blood? What happened?!  
As he moved his fingers along himself, trying to find the source, he found that something had happened down there. Just behind his testicles, that seemed to have shrunk somewhat, there was an opening that had never been there before. It was as though his taint had split open - bloomed - and he figured that that is where the blood came from. Somehow, his body had torn itself open and he was now laying in a pool of what he figured was blood. That had to be why he was so warm - so hot - in so much pain…! 

In his confusion and pain, he let out louder and louder wails and whines. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t escape - _he was going to die_ ….! 

He barely even noticed when Sephiroth entered the room with him, too lost in the throes of heat to react until the large alpha crouched over him. 

Sephiroth was letting out a pleased little rumble, nipping up along Cloud’s belly, and somehow that soothed him. He chirped in a greeting and in gratitude, as Sephiroth reached up to nuzzle into his neck. Cloud returned the gesture, nuzzling against Sephiroth’s jaw as well and licking along where the scent was the strongest. It earned him another pleased purr, and Cloud spread his legs instinctively as Sephiroth pressed closer. 

_Strong. Alpha. Please…!_

He couldn’t speak, but they managed to communicate with each other through loving sounds and purrs. Cloud felt something hard and hot prod against his new wetness - what he thought was a wound - and let out a cry of protest. He was afraid, he was in pain, and he didn’t know what was happening. Sephiroth kept purring at him however, nipping lovingly at his jaw as he slowly pushed his way inside. 

Cloud couldn’t breathe. It seemed impossible to do so…! Not because of any pain or discomfort, but because of the overwhelming relief brought by the way he was filled by the huge cock. He let out a breathless whimper, clinging almost desperately to the other as he started to rock back and forth. He wasn’t given any time to adjust, but he didn’t want it either. All he knew was that he wanted more - needed more…! 

That strong scent was surrounding him - _choking him_ \- and he couldn’t get enough. He clung hard enough to the alpha above him to leave bleeding marks along his back, earning him a pleasured snarl as they moved faster. 

The sensation was overwhelming, and soon enough he could feel his release start to build low in his stomach. His fangs tingled, and he rubbed his cheek against the scent glands on Sephiroth’s neck. He could feel something growing - something locking them together - and as soon as he felt that he came. As the powerful pleasure surged through him, he bit down hard on Sephiroth’s neck - leaving a mating mark, though he was unaware of what he had done. In response, Sephiroth came and bit down as well - completely overwhelmed by the pheromones and the sensations rushing through his body. His mind was foggy from the rut - from the smell of his omega in heat - and he had been unable to stop himself. 

Both of them rumbled pleasantly in the aftermath, licking the fresh mating marks and nuzzling each other while Genesis and Zack cursed violently just outside. 

Soon enough, the knot started to go down, and Cloud whined again as the hot pain washed over him. This time however, his whine got a response from the bear standing in the doorway. He stalked closer, his lip bleeding and his body bruised, but he was still willing to help. Sephiroth growled possessively at first, but Angeal bared his neck to the other alpha in submission. Angeal approached them cautiously, and only when Sephiroth’s instincts recognized Angeal as an alpha that recognized his own mate, did he agree to share the omega with him. 

Sephiroth pulled out and laid down next to Cloud, with an arm thrown over his belly as he nuzzled against the new mating mark. 

Angeal let out a low pleased rumble as a greeting to Cloud as he took his place between his thighs, and Cloud let out a tiny chirp in response to it. He reached up to rub their cheeks together, wrapping his legs around Angeal’s broad waist. Now he knew how to soothe the pain in his body, and he knew that the man above him could help. 

Cloud cried out in pleasure as Angeal pushed all the way inside, earning him a deep, pleasured growl from the man above him. Angeal was most certainly larger than Sephiroth had been, and Cloud was helpless to hold back any noises. Angeal had his face pressed into the unmarked side of his neck, and Cloud kept moaning against the skin on Angeal’s neck as well.

He was fucked deep and fast - Wet obscene noises surrounding them as Angeal fucked him through Sephiroth’s generous load and the naturally produced slick. With Sephiroth pressed against one side, and Angeal fucking him so deep and good, it wasn’t long before Cloud could feel another orgasm creeping up on him. Again, he could feel his fangs tingle and his gums itch to bite through Angeal’s glands as well - Make this alpha his. He had no reason to try to control the heat and urges surging through him, so when he came he also bit down deep into Angeal’s neck.  
Angeal, having been pent up all through the fight with Sephiroth was pushed over the edge then as well and came deep within Cloud. His knot expanded, locking them together, and then he too bit down and marked Cloud as his. 

The only people who knew what had happened, and why it was a bad thing, were the two betas pacing just outside. They could feel an echo of the mating in their own bonds, they could smell the blood, and Zack couldn’t help but feel guilty. 

There was nothing that could be done until the heat and ruts calmed down however, so the two betas simply settled in and prepared water and food for their mates, and the homewrecking omega. 


	7. Waking up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They wake up after the haze of the Heat has simmered down, and realize that some really uncomfortable conversations have to be had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for the response!! I have made some minor changes to the previous chapter - spelling and grammar you know. I also added some trigger warnings and such that I SWEAR I meant to do when I posted it, but I forgot?
> 
> This time however, I will remember to warn you about discussions about death and killing in this chapter, as well as the aftermath of sex where no participant knew what was happening.

Zack and Genesis knew that they had simply had to deal with the situation, and did what they could in the rest of the den. They put away the food in the right storage, brought in water and sweet things for Angeal. They prepared one of the other bed-caves for when Cloud would be coming out of his heat, and also had to have rather uncomfortable discussions about the future. 

“... So… What do we do if they knock him up?” Zack asked on day two, trying to ignore Cloud’s loud cries of pleasure and Sephiroth’s pleased grunting. “We aren’t ready for pups”

“No, we aren’t” Genesis confirmed, nose deep in his books as he tried to look up whether there was something that could be done about the situation. “But they are mated now, so we have to figure out some way to deal with that first”

“Gen, you know that can’t be done” Zack sighed, joining Genesis on the couch. “The only way to break off such a thing is if one of the mates die”

“Correct. Which is why I need to figure out if there’s an easy way to kill Cloud without causing the two of them too much pain”

Zack sat up straighter in shock then, letting out a high-pitched whine. “Kill Cloud?! No no, Genesis, you can’t be serious…! I’m… I’m sure he can just leave? Mated pairs have been separated through banishment before, haven’t they?”

“You truly expect me to believe that any of you will hold back from going to see him?” Genesis asked coldly, though he didn’t look at Zack. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. We might have to contact Rufus about help with this, but as far as I can see there are only two options. Either we accept him as part of the pack and ease him in, despite the tension it will cause, or I kill him outside of the territory”

“... I… Would rather have the first option…” Zack murmured. He hadn’t known Cloud for that long, but he had already grown fond of the younger male. He had saved him once - He didn’t want to be the reason Cloud had to die. It was all his fault, and the guilt was eating him alive. 

“Of course you would” Genesis snarled, finally looking at him. “You’re already fond of the little fucker. I was willing to accept this because it could be beneficial, and because I’m curious about the human books I have, but  _ this _ …! He isn’t worth  _ this _ , and you know that! You’ve barely known him for a fucking week, Zack! I don’t even know if he managed to learn their names before he mated them - Only suffering will come from this! Whenever they look at him, they’ll know what they were forced to do” Genesis growled, having to put down the book so he could pace back and forth. 

“None of them knew… None of us did-” Zack tried to protest, but Genesis wasn’t listening. He just wasn’t having it. 

“It is going to kill them…! Honor and pride is everything to Angeal…!  _ ‘An alpha has to be strong and use their strength to protect their families. Alphas protect the weak, the injured and the lonely’ _ \- He always says that! And now, he’s taken advantage of a virgin omega…! Possibly even knocked him up, and he always wanted to become a dad! But how will he feel if he knows that the child was made because of a crime that he committed-!?” Genesis whined, tearing at his own hair. Zack frowned in worry at him, trying to get closer but the fox wouldn’t allow it yet. 

“And Sephiroth…! He already thinks he’s a freak…! He knows how he was bred, he knows what can happen to omegas that are forced to mate…! Fuck, he’ll probably compare himself to Hojo and be unable to look at Cloud without shame even if they accept their mating-bond…!!” Genesis snarled, before breaking down into sobs properly. Zack chose that moment to force himself in close, wrapping his arms around his mate with a rumbling, calming growl. He peppered him with careful, gentle kisses and ran a comforting hand along his spine to calm him down. 

“Hey now, baby - Calm down just a moment” he cooed, kissing Genesis’ forehead. “I know you like to have everything planned out, but there’s no need to be this worked up when we don’t even know what will happen or how they’ll react. We just have to be smart about this, alright? All we can do right now is make sure that they have what they need when they get out, and contact Rufus. He knows more about these things than we do - Him and Tseng have cubs, and I know some of his pack also do. They are more familiar with the process”

Genesis seemed reluctant to give in and relax, but eventually he did with a deep sigh. “Fine… But you owe me. We have to fix this”

“We will. I promise”

\--

Cloud’s heat was long and intense, but it would have been even longer if he’d only had one alpha to help him. It took four days for it to be over, and by then all three of them were raw and sore. They had had sex in all forms of positions and with varying intensities as well. The only thing that hadn’t quite worked out was when Cloud tried to ride Angeal. The will had been there - he had been quite eager - but after having been fucked so hard for so long, with his body strung tight by hormones, his legs just couldn’t support him enough. Sephiroth seemed to prefer him face down on the bed, while Angeal seemed to prefer it when they could nuzzle and kiss. 

When Sephiroth’s knot finally went down on the fourth day, they all fell asleep - ruts and heat over. They slept for an entire day, their bodies snuggling close on pure instinct. The alphas were wrapped around the smaller male, their scents mingling on the sticky furs that would have to be burned or thrown out at this rate. It would be impossible to get all the filth out of them. Cloud’s light snore mingled with Angeal’s deeper one, while Sephiroth was completely quiet aside from tiny sighs now and then. 

Angeal was the first to wake up as the whole ordeal had been easier for him than it was for the other two. That didn’t mean that it was easy, of course, and he felt rather groggy when he woke. His memories of the past days were foggy, as they usually were during his ruts, but he couldn’t remember one being this bad since he first presented when he was a teen. The smell of sex was heavy around him, and as he sat up he could feel the sting of many new little bite-marks along his shoulders and neck, which was weird as he was usually the one who wanted to bite during his ruts. More importantly than that though was the feeling of a mating mark that he couldn’t remember getting, and as he reached up to touch it and make sure that it was there - it tingled in response. Dread settled low in his belly as he turned to the side to where the scents were the strongest. 

Zack’s friend - the little blond omega. The way he was laying practically wrapped around Sephiroth showed off his neck quite well. There was no doubt then. He didn’t even know the young man’s name, but they had become proper pack mates during the haze of a rut. His face paled, and he felt rather sick all of a sudden. He stumbled out of the bed, neither of the other two waking up but clinging even tighter to each other. 

He staggered out of the room, and was almost immediately approached by the two worried betas. Neither touched him yet, knowing that he might be a little too physically sensitive. They had no idea how far his mentality had caught up with what had happened yet, so they tried to keep it safe. 

“Angeal? Are you alright?” Zack asked carefully, his nose working to catch any possible tears or blood on the other. He could smell distress - he could sense just how tired Angeal was - but not the reason why. 

“... You brought us an omega” he finally said, his voice hoarse and gravelly. Zack let out a small whine at that and took a step back, averting his gaze as he tried to come up with a way to defend himself. 

“I… I didn’t mean to. I promise I didn’t - I had no idea that he was an omega or I wouldn’t have brought him” he tried to say confidently, but he crumbled under the disappointment in Angeal’s voice and his own guilt. 

“How could you not know?” Angeal tried to ask, but Genesis stepped in between them to interrupt that particular train of thought. 

“There is an explanation for it, and we will go over it - I promise - but all of us together. Do you need anything? Water? Food?”

“... I need to throw up” Angeal admitted carefully, allowing Genesis to take his arm. 

“Right, I’ll come with you. Hold your hair out of the way. Zack will arrange things so that we can have our talk in there when Seph and Cloud wake up” Genesis said firmly with a nod. “Don’t forget to bring something he can cover himself with, pup. I get a feeling that the prey tendencies will come back at full force”

The two of them left without further words, and Zack was happy that he had been given a task to occupy himself with. The two betas had truly done everything they could to prepare, but this was the one thing they knew they couldn’t control. They had no idea what would happen, and he desperately didn’t want to hurt Cloud or his mates. So he brought out sitting stones, placing them quietly in the room and covering them with furs. He brought some waterskins and several pieces of hide for Cloud to hide under if he felt the need. He had heard that omegas liked to nest, but maybe that was before their heat? He had no idea, but he figured that it couldn’t hurt to get a lot of them. Once he was done, he just sat down and waited. 

He kept observing them - the two men on the bed. Cloud was naked, filthy, covered in bruises and bites - and completely, utterly beautiful. He looked peaceful somehow, clinging as he was to Sephiroth. Somehow, Zack had expected for Cloud to be clingy like that. What he hadn’t expected however was that Sephiroth clung to him just as tightly. It was practically impossible to tell where one of them ended and the other began. Sephiroth’s long hair lay over them both - shielding Cloud’s face from the world as he hugged the smaller man to his chest. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there before the two started to wake up, but he was fast to join them on the bed so he could calm Cloud when he woke. The smaller male let out little grunts and yawned, pressing his face closer to the warm body pressed against his. He was perfectly happy to just snuggle back in and fall back asleep-

_ Wait. _

Warm body pressed against him. 

Warm male body.

_ Warm male alpha body-!? _

Cloud immediately leapt backwards with an actual scream, scrambling to get away from the unknown male. He let out another yelp as he bumped into someone else and turned around - eyes wide with confusion and terror. 

“Hey hey, hush now” Zack cooed immediately, trying to make himself as small and non threatening as possible. It seemed to work rather well as Cloud blinked and licked his dry lips so he could speak. 

“Z-Zack…?” 

“Yeah, it’s me” Zack confirmed, and Cloud seemed to relax just a little. He was still tense and jittery, and Zack could see him try to cover himself with his hands. Seemed like Genesis was right after all…    
Zack simply smiled gently at him, keeping an eye on Sephiroth who was waking up, as he offered the hides to Cloud so he could hide away. The smaller male immediately took them with a quiet ‘thanks’ and wrapped them around himself as much as he possibly could. He was still trembling like a leaf however, and it broke Zack’s heart. He kept rumbling gently to him, and wrapped his arms around him. He was prepared for Cloud to try to wriggle away, but it seemed like Cloud just pressed himself closer and tried to hide himself away within Zack’s arms. 

Meanwhile, Sephiroth woke up because of the scream and the following scuffle. He was confused as well, his bright eyes narrowed as he eyed the little interaction between Zack and his… Friend? The unfamiliar wolf that had been brought to their home. The omega.

  
Wait.

Omega… 

“Zack” he finally said, his voice just as hoarse as Angeal’s had been. The little wrap that was the omega seemed to jolt in Zack’s arms, and his clear distress caused a sharp sting of worry to go through his heart.  _ A worry that should not be there because he didn’t know this creature _ .    
“Explain”

“I will, I promise. We’re just waiting for Angeal and Genesis. Angeal wasn’t feeling well” Zack promised, smiling carefully at Sephiroth. Sephiroth was, however, too displeased and confused to return the small affectionate gesture at that time, and instead reached up to gently touch the new mating mark he had. The one he couldn’t remember getting.

Luckily, it wasn’t long before Angeal and Genesis returned. Cloud still didn’t dare to look up from his bundle as the two sat down by the foot of the bed, and Genesis dully noted that he had been right. The poor thing was so much of a prey that he probably wouldn’t survive in the world anyway. Maybe not accurate, given that he had been harsh and powerful, but to hide himself like that was a weakness…! That’s what Genesis told himself at least. 

“Right. Zack, the floor is all yours” Genesis finally said, squeezing Angeal’s hand in his. Zack sighed then, running a hand through his hair.

“I was out fishing by the river to the west, just like we had agreed, when I caught Cloud here in my net. He was unconscious, his ribs were damaged and he had an arrow straight through one of his hind-legs. I helped him out, patched him up, and… Well, he kept me company until Genesis arrived” he started, still holding Cloud close. There were some details that the poor thing didn’t have to know, such as the fact that Zack would have eaten him if he had been difficult or dead. 

“Cloud is… An odd predator. He’s lived in a village of prey for his whole life”

“Prey…?” Sephiroth asked, his gaze turning to the bundle. “Humans? How did they let a wolf live?”

“He says he and his ma lied and said they were regular dogs. Humans aren’t scared of those, apparently, so they got to stay” he explained. “The reason I found him floating in the river was that they’d been found out, and the humans tried to kill them. They managed to get to his mother, but Cloud got away”

“May her love nourish you” Angeal rumbled sadly, his expression softening every moment. The rest of them nodded in acknowledgement, though Cloud probably didn’t understand the meaning behind the words. He did peek out at the large male carefully and let out a little ‘thank you’ however. He may not understand the cultural choosing of those words, but he knew that it meant they were sorry for his loss. 

“He stayed with me and then Genesis healed him up when he joined us. We know we aren’t looking to expand the pack - errh, well… The plan was to teach Cloud more of predator society while he taught us more about prey and their ways of hunting. Their weapons, their culture, and so on, to help us prepare better. We’ve never met another predator with that much information”

“Not since Mother” Sephiroth added, reaching for one of the waterskins so he could start cleaning himself off while he listened. 

“No. Not since Jenova” Zack confirmed as Cloud finally dared to peek out more fully. His body was still covered up to his neck, but now his head and face were fully out and visible to everyone in the room. 

“Then… Well see, the thing with the whole clashing-cultures thing is that it’s impossible to know what needs to be taught and what doesn’t. I had no idea that Cloud was an omega”

“... I don’t even know what that means” Cloud admitted, his voice even more hoarse than Angeal’s and Sephiroth’s. “I have no idea what happened to me”

“See? And that to me is really weird!” Zack admitted. “Cause like, I didn’t have to tell Cloud that he has arms or legs, but this very natural, biological thing was apparently not a thing? I had no idea that humans and prey don’t have the same things that we do? Genesis’ theory is that in order to bloom - Omegas and alphas sort of need the other’s pheromones, and Cloud has never come in contact with alphas until now”

“Wait - slow down” Angeal finally said with a deep groan. “So what you’re telling me is that you saved this young man and brought him here, where he literally had his first heat and triggered our ruts because he’s never met an alpha before?”

“Exactly” Zack confirmed, causing the bear to sigh. 

“And given that I can’t remember anything from these past…. Hours… days… I can only assume that the three of us shared his heat” Angeal went on, gesturing to himself, Sephiroth and Cloud. 

“Yeah… It was four days. Sounded like you tag-teamed him” Zack confirmed, causing Cloud to blush and hide his face again. He looked vaguely nauseous honestly. 

“... He might be carrying then. Young omegas are incredibly fertile during their first heats” Sephiroth added, causing Cloud to look up at them again with eyes wide in horror. 

“What do you mean?” he asked, dreading the answer but unable to hold back. 

“It means you might be pregnant. You were mated with repeatedly for days by two alphas” Sephiroth sighed, clearly frustrated as he averted his gaze. “Not only that but we’re bonded. Mated. I can feel the bond”

“I can too…” Angeal admitted, rubbing a hand over his mark as Cloud unconsciously did the same. 

“I-...! But I…! I’m a man. I can’t get pregnant” Cloud protested, all color drained from his face. 

“See, that’s what happens when a predator is raised among prey” Genesis sighed. “Prey reproduce differently than we do, because they need to reproduce in larger quantities. Especially herbivores. Us predators have a harder time to reproduce as it requires an omega, and omegas are rare. The Lifestream doesn’t let us spread out too fast or too much, because there needs to be a balance in the world. More predators means less prey, so to keep that balance, the prey simply multiplies more often than we do”

“But the Lifestream hasn’t counted on humans learning to adapt and kill in all directions. Many of us are going extinct because of them” Sephiroth pointed out, keeping his gaze on Cloud now as they could all see the information sink in. 

“Your secondary gender doesn’t matter” Genesis said simply. “Not in the way it would if you were prey. Your primary gender - Alpha, beta or omega - is what decides whether or not you can carry children. And alas, it seems like you very much can”

Cloud could feel nothing but dread at that, even as he instinctively wrapped his arms around his belly. It was all quite a lot to take in, and both Genesis and Zack could tell that the two alphas were clearly fidgety from his distress. 

“So… That brings us to the part I… I really didn’t want to talk about” Zack murmured, glancing at Genesis pleadingly. 

“... We need to figure out what to do about this accidental mating and possible cubs” Genesis said, reluctantly taking on the job to tell them the difficult parts.    
“You three are mated now. That’s just how it is. Furthermore, Cloud might be pregnant with one or more cubs, and we as a pack have to solve this. There are some options that need to be discussed”

He took a pause, letting the information sink in and also gathering the strength to go on. 

“Either we accept Cloud into the pack fully, in which case he needs to mate with both me and Zack as well. I refuse to have a pack where there’s potential jealousy. In this case, we all make up our minds and care for potential cubs together. Another option is to wait and see whether he’s pregnant or not, and then care for the cubs without him as part of the pack. As you all know, that means he delivers them, and then leaves - never to return” Genesis went on, Cloud growing more pale with every suggestion. 

“A third suggestion, or option rather, is that we break the mating bond off by killing him either right here and now, or once he’s delivered the possible cubs”

Cloud froze up completely then, glancing around himself at the other men around him. It was a big thing to discuss and consider, but… None of them protested firmly against the last option. The four larger predators all actually seemed to consider all those possible options, and Cloud knew that he was helpless. He may be strong, he may be a fighter, but to fight all four of them if they decided to have at him?

There would be nothing he could do. Absolutely nothing. 


	8. Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There will be tears, just as the title promises. But they might not come from the person you'd expect.

Zack absolutely hated the silence and the waiting-game. He didn’t want to have to worry about his little friend, but he did. He had argued against Genesis ever since the options were brought up, so he found it unnecessary to bring it up again. Sephiroth and Angeal were the involved parties after all - THEY would be the ones suffering if their mate was torn away. He could sense the fear in the smaller male and kept him close to himself, rumbling gently as he petted through his hair. As he did, he couldn’t help but be fascinated by his adorable, rounded ears. He was so used to seeing pointed ones, that Cloud’s cute, soft ones were completely captivating. 

Finally Angeal sighed and ran a hand through his own hair, scratching the back of his head. 

“I wouldn’t feel right having a young omega killed, no matter the circumstances” he admitted, causing Genesis to tense beside him. “Especially not an omega that I took advantage of”

“But Angeal - You didn’t know!  _ He _ triggered this!” Genesis protested fiercely. 

“Yes he did, but he couldn’t help it anymore than we could. No one is to blame here - the situation is completely unheard of before. Omegas are powerful, graceful and valuable, and whether we wanted to or not - we used him when he was at his most vulnerable” Angeal went on firmly. “If the result of that happens to be a cub, then I will be more than happy to atone for my crime by raising and loving that cub”

“A cub shouldn’t be seen as a punishment or a way to  _ atone for a mistake _ , Ang” Genesis protested firmly in a snarl. “A cub should be planned, loved and  _ eagerly awaited _ by the whole pack”

“Don’t put words in my mouth, Genesis” Angeal warned him with a growl. “I’m not saying that I would see cubs as a tool to punish myself. I’m just saying that in a situation like this, I would rather be the one put down. I don’t want to die - of course not - but I don’t expect that this young man wants to die either” he pointed out, gesturing to Cloud. “He knows nothing about who he is, what he is, or what this means. He’s even less prepared for this life than any of us are, and I  _ refuse _ to send him out to die, or have you kill him”

“... But you considered it” Cloud pointed out carefully, surprising everyone else. Despite his worry, despite his fears, he felt like he had to speak out. He wouldn’t accept them lying to his face and luring him into a false sense of security with sweet words. “You considered it before answering”

“I did” Angeal confirmed with a nod, but he refused to look away from Cloud’s challenging gaze. “Because that is what life is in predator society. Sometimes things like this are necessary. Sometimes killing children or mates is required for the survival of the pack. It’s easier for those of us who don’t have strong instincts to form packs, of course, but it’s still a tragedy when it happens”

“Angeal…!” Zack said, his voice completely warm and full of affection for his larger mate. He had figured that Angeal would see it his way, but there was no way to be sure. 

“I won’t disrespect you by lying to you” Angeal went on, not quite smiling but his expression did soften as he looked at the omega -  _ his _ omega. “I had to consider it for the sake of those I love. I know Genesis brought it up for our sake as well - not from an ill-meaning intent to harm you”

“Now who’s putting words in whose mouth….”

“Bringing in a fifth member along with possible cubs will cause a strain and some changes will have to be made, but those aren’t severe enough for me to consider having you killed. I would rather go through the effort to get to know you than experience the pain of never having known you” Angeal said, finally actually smiling at Cloud properly. 

Cloud was so overwhelmed by that that he honestly didn’t know what to say. It was… It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to him, and he could feel relieved tears welling up in his eyes. He immediately wiped them away and tried to smile back at Angeal. 

“So...This is probably a weird question given… Given what we’ve done, but would… Would it be alright for me to hug you? I really  _ really _ feel like I want to” he asked carefully, causing both Angeal and Zack to chuckle. Instead of answering however, Angeal just opened his arms in a quiet invitation. Cloud still hung onto the hides around him as he crawled forward out of Zack’s arms and onto Angeal’s lap. The large alpha immediately wrapped his arms around him and rubbed his jaw lovingly against the top of Cloud’s head with a pleased purr-like rumble. Cloud returned the affection with careful, grateful kisses along his cheek and jaw. They were much more platonic than their earlier frenzied kisses, and more meant to show gratitude than anything else. 

“... I know we haven’t been introduced, but my name is Cloud” Cloud finally joked quietly, causing Zack and Angeal to laugh again. 

“Pleasure to meet you. My name is Angeal” was the reply, combined with a little forehead bump. 

Genesis just rolled his eyes where he sat next to them. He didn’t like this at all, mainly because of how insecure it made him feel. He had known that Angeal would be drawn to the little wolf just as Zack had been, and it didn’t help that the big bear’s mind would be muffled by the affection from the new mating mark. Every step towards the younger male at this step was a step away from him and from sensible actions. Sure, the little thing was cute, but that wasn’t enough to forgive what had been done. Or rather, in his mind he knew that to be the truth. His heart grew more afraid every passing second however.

“... Sephiroth still hasn’t answered” he pointed out with a small, tight growl. Cloud tensed up a little again, truly not understanding why Genesis seemed so reluctant to have him live, even if it wasn’t with them. Angeal immediately rumbled to calm him however, and he could relax just a fraction more. 

“... I am undecided” Sephiroth replied simply from the other side of the bed. He was busy grooming himself and his hair, as he always did when anxious or deep in thought. “I don’t like to be forced into situations like this, and there is a risk for Cloud’s health seeing as none of us were able to consent”

“... What do you mean? How is it a risk to me?” Cloud asked, not liking just how many curveballs were being thrown at him about his own  _ fucking body _ .

“Sometimes, omegas will die when bred against their will” Sephiroth simply explained. To Cloud he sounded cold and uncaring, but the rest of his mates could hear the cold he used to cover up the hurt. Zack took a chance then, and snuggled up closer to Sephiroth, which seemed to be accepted and maybe even welcomed. Sephiroth’s fingers immediately went into Zack’s mane of hair to groom him as well, a deep purr echoing quietly from the alpha’s chest. “Because of this, we might not even get to decide what happens and what doesn’t. If your body isn’t strong enough - If your  _ mind _ isn’t strong enough - then giving birth could potentially be lethal. The Lifestream does everything it can to make sure it’s difficult for us to reproduce”

“We don’t even know if I will have to worry about that” Cloud pointed out, his voice stronger now that he felt safer. Just sitting on his mate’s lap gave him quite a lot of confidence, as his instincts felt soothed just by the scent of having him near.    
“There’s no way to know if I’m even going to have to give birth. Besides, if it’s strength it comes down to - I’ll just have to do what it takes to  _ become _ strong enough, don’t I?” 

“... You truly wish to stay then? In a pack with people you don’t know? With people who only minutes ago sincerely considered killing you?” Sephiroth asked, still grooming Zack’s hair. 

“I don’t feel like I have much of a choice” Cloud pointed out with a huff. “I don’t want to die yet, and I don’t want to be left alone before… Before I’m ready” he admitted with a sigh. “I will do what it takes to survive. No matter what. My mother sacrificed herself to let me live, and I’m not about to waste her sacrifice just because hormones made us do something we didn’t want to. If that means I have to get to know you four - if that means I have to… Have to bend over for all four of you, then that is what I will do. I refuse to die without knowing I’ve done everything I can”

“You won’t  _ have _ to bend over for anyone, Spike, but if you want to get your ass handed to you again, I’ll gladly help you out” Zack teased, wiggling his eyebrows and making Cloud chuckle. 

Meanwhile, Sephiroth sat in complete silence. Cloud wouldn’t know how much the sacrifice of a mother would mean to him - how much it reminded him of his own  _ mom _ . The little omega that seemed so scared and fragile in that bundle of his had openly challenged both alphas. Not in a big way, perhaps, but he had not been sitting silently by as they discussed his life. That in itself was… Impressive. He couldn’t be sure if that little feeling of pride came from the forced mating or not however, so he remained critical. 

“... I will accept his presence here” he finally said, only barely being able to pull his head back far enough in time so that Zack wouldn’t hit him in the chin when he burst up with joy. 

“Really!? You mean it?!”

“Yes. I make no further promises, but at this moment I see no need to have him killed” he said. It was the bare minimum of approval according to Cloud, but Zack let out a little bark of joy and threw himself at Sephiroth heavily enough to send them both back against the bed. He trapped him there with many eager kisses that Sephiroth seemed to tolerate - much like a large cat might endure affection from someone they liked. 

Genesis simply growled at that and stood up, glancing around him and then leaving the room. The behaviour confused Cloud, but he couldn’t help but be relieved still. This meant he got to live after all! He just had to figure out whether he had to be careful in case Genesis would try to hurt him in his sleep or the like. Cloud did have a backup plan - To run and use human hunting tactics to escape them - But he just didn’t want to be alone. His grief and loneliness would kill him far before any other predator would have the chance to. 

Angeal had a rather good idea about what had caused Genesis’ foul mood however, and he sighed. 

“Cloud, I need you to stay here with Sephiroth and Zack” he said, placing a small kiss on top of the blond head. “You three keep eachother company while I go talk to Genesis… Please make sure they don’t eat each other” Angeal teased as he nudged Cloud towards the bed. Cloud wasn’t really surprised but he did feel a little lost now that there was no one touching him. Of course they had to make sure that their other mate was alright… But again, Cloud couldn’t feel guilty for being alive. 

“What do I do if they do start eating each other?” he asked, attempting to break his own remaining tension with a joke. Especially seeing as Zack had started to growl playfully, and Sephiroth swatted at him in a way that also seemed playful. Luckily it seemed to amuse Angeal at least a little, as it got him to smile. 

“Just flick them on the nose with a finger. It usually works well enough” he replied simply before he left.

\---

He found Genesis in his personal little cave where he kept all his trinkets and decorations. Human books were piled neatly around the walls, some pages with images torn out and put up on the walls around him. There were other trinkets around, things from prey society that he didn’t know what they were. Just next to the little nest area, there was an ornate chest that was locked by his magic - All his mates knew not to touch it as it had too much personal value to their beloved. 

Angeal carefully made his way towards the nest where Genesis laid curled up, playing with one of the little metal trinkets. He joined him, but didn’t try to touch him quite yet, especially as Genesis was  _ obviously _ ignoring him. 

“... You know this won’t make a difference in our relationship, right?” he asked gently, switching to their native tongue instead. Genesis tensed up only briefly before he kept on playing with the little thing in his hands - pulling the metallic legs this way and that gently. 

“You’re wasting your sweet lies on me, Angeal. I know you too well” he retorted, pushing a foot against Angeal’s chest to keep him away when the bear tried to lean closer. “I know it won’t change anything in your head, but he will take a place in your heart that I could never hold”

“Is this about you not being an omega?” Angeal asked, even though he knew the answer. His only immediate answer was a snarl and a firmer shove with his foot. “You know I love you no matter what you are, right? I don’t mind that you can’t give me cubs, Gen. I love you for you”

“What if I mind it? What if I fucking mind that I have wanted to be able to have that with you since we were little? Since we shared secret kisses under the apple trees? What if I fucking mind that some blond little wolf comes around and gives you what I can’t?” he snarled, ripping the little metal leg off in a spur of fury and frustration. 

“That came out wrong…. Genesis, it’s not about  _ giving me _ something-”

“No. You’re right. It’s about  _ us sharing a family _ . It’s about us having that together - giving it to each other. Instincts are strong, Angeal - you know that just as well as I do. Your head will lose to your heart when it realizes that I lack something that’s fundamentally required for you to be whole” he snarled and sat up, hurling the trinket into a wall and watching it glitter as it smashed to pieces. 

Genesis was panting - Frustration clear on his face, but Angeal still took a chance to slide closer to him. He carefully wrapped his arms around him, and though the fox tried to resist at first - he soon gave in and clung almost desperately to his beloved mate. 

“I love you, my little fox. I love everything about you” Angeal murmured to him gently, kissing the top of his head and wiping his tears away. “But we can still share a family. We are a family and have been ever since we met, love. Our family has simply expanded through the years, and this is just another addition, with potential for more biological additions. There’s a chance that you can become a father as well, and I would love any of your children as much as I would my own. Because I love you, and I love us together” he purred, leaning down to kiss his tears away before placing a deep, loving kiss on his lips. Genesis leaned into it with a tiny sob but nodded. 

“And hey, it’s a good thing the omega is a wolf. In wolf packs - all pack members care for the cubs. No matter what - they will be our children Genesis. Never doubt your self-worth because of what the Lifestream gave you. Even if you do - never doubt the sincere and utter love I have for you”

The little sobs soon turned into chuckles, and Genesis bumped their foreheads together with affection. 

“And here I’m supposed to be the poetic drama alpha of the group” Genesis laughed through the remaining tears, pressing soft, loving kisses to Angeal’s mouth. “You’re a big ol’ sap, you know that right?”

“Of course I do. Given how much time I spend with you, it would be weird if your mannerisms didn’t rub off on me”

“Oh shut up, you big oaf” he laughed, causing Angeal to chuckle and nip at his neck. 

“There you are, my fire~ I missed hearing your laugh”

“Is that all you missed?”

“Of course not. Let me show you what else I missed while out in the harsh world~”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the overwhelming support and the many suggestions/ideas brought on by the previous chapter! 
> 
> Many people wanted Cloud to run and sure, that didn't happen right at this moment. That doesn't mean situations won't come up later! I LOVE hearing your ideas and thoughts brought on! I have plenty of ideas, and many of your contributions have given me ideas on how to tie the lot of them together.
> 
> Also, just because I'm curious.................. What do your top 5 lists of fave characters in the OT5 look like? What do you think mine is? Those of you who follow my twitter or tumblr might know XD


	9. An intense lecture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!!
> 
> I had planned on getting this out earlier, but as it turns out my workplace has now banned Google docs (where I write this) and so I have been unable to write anything in my downtime. To compensate, I've added an extra round of smut in this chapter ;) 
> 
> Some questions are answered, steps are taken, and people just have a good time overall. Enjoy!

While Genesis and Angeal talked their issues through, Cloud found himself stuck on a bed next to Zack and his mate. The alpha of the pack, and now one of  _ Cloud’s _ alphas as well. It was a strange thought, but he supposed that he could have done worse when it came to mates. Sephiroth seemed quiet and not too much of a people’s person, but then again neither was Cloud. Besides, the man was gorgeous. He was the least  _ human _ shifter he had ever seen, but he found that he liked it. The beautiful hair, those glorious eyes and his lean, firm body…! 

Yeah. He definitely could have had a worse mate. 

Cloud couldn’t help but feel conflicted as he watched the two tumble around on the bed in front of him however. What had started out as some clear rough-housing was swiftly turning into something more intimate, and neither of them seemed to care that Cloud was  _ right there _ …! Seeing the man he had a crush on wrestle naked with a man that Cloud was mated with  _ should _ have made him jealous and uncertain, but it  _ didn’t _ , and that’s why he was both confused and conflicted. 

When Sephiroth took charge of the playing by pinning Zack to the bed by his wrists and leaned in to lick along his neck, Cloud almost left the room. He could see where this was going, especially seeing as both of them were growing hard and rocked their hips together with pleased little growls. He felt that he didn’t  _ want _ to leave however, and seeing as neither of them had told him to beat it - Why should he leave? Why couldn’t he stay? This had to be deliberate, didn’t it? It went against everything he had heard of while he grew up, namely that sex happened between two people that loved eachother, but… Predators seemed more liberal about it. They casually fucked, walked around naked and openly talked about such things so….

Zack’s breathless moan made the decision for Cloud however, as he now refused to leave unless they explicitly told him to. The rush of being alive - of being accepted at least for now - made him feel bolder than he normally would be. He could feel that tingle of arousal go through his body, concentrated between his legs. He did also feel that uncomfortable wetness grow, and while he was concerned about it, he wasn’t about to stop what they were doing just to ask.

As the wetness grew, Sephiroth started to growl and roll his hips against Zack harder. Zack gasped again, sniffing the air and letting out an amused growl. He turned to Cloud and winked, as if what they were doing was somehow fun and casual rather than something incredibly intimate. 

“Your scent is affecting him, Sunshine” he pointed out with a chuckle that melted into another moan as Sephiroth bit at his neck. “You can come closer if you want… You- Ah~ You okay?” he asked, keeping his gaze locked with Cloud’s as the latter shifted closer. 

“I… Yeah” Cloud replied, also more breathless than he had been. Their scents were affecting him as well, and he squirmed in an attempt to alleviate some of the tingling pressure between his thighs. “You… You good with me being here, Zack?”

“‘F course! Why w-wouldn’t I be?” Zack asked, spreading his legs wider for Sephiroth as the latter started to move with more purpose. He kissed and bit his way down Zack’s torso until he reached a nipple and then spent some time sucking at it. Seeing Sephiroth do it had Cloud’s mouth watering - He wanted to join…! But would it be alright? Would Zack be alright with it? Could they do this even though he hadn’t told Zack about his crush?

Before Cloud could make up his mind however, Zack cried out in pleasure as Sephiroth pushed his way inside him. Cloud’s breath caught in his throat then. He would like to claim that it was only because he was worried -  _ Wouldn’t that hurt? Was Zack prepared already? _ \- But it wasn’t. He could barely breathe because they were so beautiful…! 

He let the hide that he had wrapped around him slip away as the heat got too much for him to handle, and he cautiously reached down to rub his cock lightly as he watched them. 

Sephiroth moved like a dream - Every movement controlled and powerful. He barely let out any noises at all, just little pleased grunts and growls, but his eyes were glowing as he watched his younger mate. He watched Zack as though he hung the stars in the sky - The most beautiful piece of art he had ever seen. Cloud hadn’t seen anyone look at someone else with that much love ever - Barely even Aerith and Tifa…. Though admittedly he hadn’t seen them make love. One day, he hoped that he’d have someone look at him the way Sephiroth was looking at Zack.

Zack’s mouth hung open as he clung to the furs under him with a tight grip, his legs spread wide for Sephiroth to fit between them. His eyes were closed in pleasure, an adorable blush on his cheeks and the tip of his ears. He was panting and moaning, much louder than his lover as his cock leaked precum onto his belly. 

“Fuck~ Seph, you feel so good…!  _ Ah _ ~ I missed you” he groaned, earning him a louder purr in response as Sephiroth moved faster. 

Their pace was suddenly broken as Cloud also let out a moan, as if the sound reminded them that he was still there. Zack turned to look at him, while Sephiroth simply shot a glance his way. Zack would however be able to vouch for the fact that Sephiroth’s cock had throbbed in interest at what he saw, no matter how stoic he was trying to be. 

Cloud was rubbing his cock steadily, his legs spread and very clearly slick on the upper, inner thigh. His chest and cheeks were flushed red, and his beautiful eyes were also glowing faintly in the dark. Once they stopped and looked at him, he gasped and also stopped moving his hand - placing it next to him on the bed as he closed his legs to hide himself. 

  
“I…! Sorry, I just… I can leave if you-if you don’t want…-!” he tried, but Zack simply laughed (causing Sephiroth to let out a curse from the strange sensation of being inside someone who laughs) and reached a hand out towards Cloud. 

“Hey, don’t worry” he told him, still breathless and horny. “I don’t mind at all. We’re gonna be mates, right? You can even join if you want. If it’s still w-weird, you can just think of it as fun between friends? We’re friends - right?” 

Cloud did scoot closer at that, and took the offered hand almost reverently. He glanced at Sephiroth who simply huffed. 

“I have no preference” he replied, rolling his hips and making both Zack and Cloud gasp. “... But I’m sure Zack wouldn’t mind if you made use of his mouth instead of your own hand”

That last bit surprised Cloud, but Zack just laughed again. 

“Pervert” he teased, earning himself a light slap to his thigh. “You wanna see me suck your omega off while you fuck me, hm~?”

Sephiroth didn’t quite respond with words, but he did snarl and started to fuck Zack a little more eagerly. The beta let out a cry of surprise and pleasure at the changed pace, but quickly squeezed Cloud’s hand in encouragement. 

“C’mon, we’ll take that as a yes” Zack breathed, tugging Cloud closer so he could place kisses on his hips and belly. He kept teasing like that while Cloud struggled to find the words needed to tell Zack something important, but it was difficult because the other wolf was fucking  _ distracting _ …! He wanted to tell him that he had never done this before - that he didn’t want to hurt him - that he didn’t have to…!

But then Zack took his cock into his mouth, and Cloud couldn’t think anymore.

Soft…! Hot…!  _ Wet…! _ Holy fuck, was this why people talked about oral sex so much…!?

Cloud moaned loudly then, instinctively pushing himself forward and a little deeper into Zack’s mouth. As Zack started to suck his cock with steady intervals, he found that he could make it feel even better if he rocked his hips just a little to meet Zack’s pace. The sensation of Zack’s tongue tracing up along the underside of his sensitive cock was almost too much, and he let out a high-pitched whine. 

“Zack…! So-so beautiful…!  _ Ah _ ~” he managed to get out. Not quite the eloquent compliment that he wanted to give him, but it would have to do. He found it difficult to be poetic while most of his higher brain functions were being sucked out through his cock, but Zack seemed to take the hint well enough. 

Soon the three found a good pace, where both Sephiroth and Cloud could fuck Zack without anyone being uncomfortable. They somehow even increased the pace somewhere along the line, which caused Zack to moan around Cloud’s cock. The vibrations caused Cloud’s thrusts to stutter, and he shoved himself deep enough to make Zack gag just a little. An apology was on the tip of his tongue, but Zack just moaned louder and reached up to put a hand on Cloud’s ass in encouragement. Very carefully, or rather as carefully as he possibly could, Cloud pushed in deeper with every thrust.

Cloud could feel that he was getting closer to the edge, and tried to warn Zack by tugging at the arm that held him in place. 

“Z-Zack…! I-I’m about to…~! I can’t h-hold it-!” he gasped, accidentally locking eyes with Sephiroth mid-sentence. 

The tiger snarled loudly and reached forward to take a firm hold of Cloud’s hair. He used that grip to tug him close enough to kiss Cloud deeply and sloppily. Just as he did that, Zack moved his hand from Cloud’s ass, and instead slid two fingers into his soaking wet cunt. 

The sensations became too much for Cloud to handle, and he came with a scream that was muffled against Sephiroth’s mouth. The taste and feeling of Cloud cumming in his mouth was enough for Zack to cum as well, which he did with a muffled groan. Sephiroth snarled at the tight sensation around him, and with just a couple of more thrusts, he came inside Zack. 

The three panted with satisfaction for quite some time in the aftermath. Sephiroth placed another soft kiss on Cloud’s lips, before bending down to kiss Zack softly as well. Cloud shifted away carefully, letting his now soft cock slip out of Zack’s mouth. When he tried to move away further however, the fingers still inside him made him gasp and he instinctively tried to close his legs around Zack’s hand. It felt so strange…! He still had no idea what it was, or what the uncomfortable wetness was, and yet Zack had just shoved his fingers up there-!

“... Zack? Would you… Would you mind removing your fingers so I can lay down?” he asked breathlessly, blushing still. Sephiroth and Zack stopped kissing then and Sephiroth pulled out of Zack without any issues. He simply slumped down onto his back on the other side of Zack with a satiated purr, stretching like the feline he was. 

“See, I would, but your legs are keeping me in place” Zack laughed, still a little more breathless but seemingly with a lot of energy still. He wiggled his hand a little, causing Cloud to cry out in surprise before swatting at Zack’s shoulder. 

“You fucker-!” he hissed but spread his legs so that Zack could pull the soaking wet fingers out of him. Cloud had expected the fingers to be coated in blood, but this liquid was more clear than that. It almost seemed to have the consistency of oil, as a slick string of it connected him to Zack’s fingers for quite a bit. As Zack spread his fingers with an amused grin, they could both see that Sephiroth seemed to discreetly be sniffing the air and shifting a little closer. With yet another chuckle, Zack offered the slick fingers to Sephiroth who - unprompted - sucked them into his mouth to clean them off.

It was filthy, debauched, and Cloud had never seen anything more arousing in his life. As he let out an aroused keen, Sephiroth’s beautiful eyes opened and met his gaze - just as he licked along the sides of the fingers in a manner that made that warmth flare up inside Cloud again. 

“So the heat wasn’t enough for you, huh?” Zack teased, nudging Cloud with his knee, completely unbothered by how Sephiroth was sucking on his fingers. 

“Shut up” Cloud simply huffed and laid down, pressing his legs tight together again. “You’re being way too pleased about this, you little shit”

“Big words from a runt” Zack teased, earning himself another playful shove by Cloud. “Besides, why wouldn’t I be pleased about it? You get to stay, you get to live, and I just got laid by Sephiroth for the first time in weeks! That, and I got to taste you. You’ve got a pretty cock”

How could Zack just be so fucking casual about all this!? Cloud simply huffed again and averted his gaze, trying to control the simmering heat of his arousal. 

“... Thanks. You too. You’re so weird though”

“Oh really? I just think I’m friendly”

“No, he’s right. You’re weird” Sephiroth suddenly said, finally stopping his sensual sucking of Zack’s fingers. 

“You’re both very mean to me even though you both got to cum in me” Zack huffed in a pretend-pout, which earned him a kiss on the cheek from Sephiroth. 

“It’s true. I personally don’t mind cumming inside something weird. I’ve fucked both you and Genesis before, which should prove that to you”

“Oh fuck off” Zack laughed before stretching out contently between them. 

Cloud remained on his side, curled up just a little but still looking up at Zack’s face. Somehow, even despite what they had just done - or maybe thanks to it - it was a lot easier now to look at his face instead of his body. 

“... I have a question” he finally dared to say, earning him a quirked eyebrow and smile from Zack but nothing but a silent look from Sephiroth.    
“I thought there would be blood on your fingers before, but I have no idea what that liquid was. I’m a little scared honestly - I thought you just pushed your fingers into a recent wound of mine”

That startled both of them, though Zack was much more expressive as he sat up. His normally jovial smile was gone and replaced only by a look of pure concern. 

“Wait - You thought that was a wound? You have no idea what you-?!” he asked, stopping himself with a slap to the forehead. “Of course…. If you don’t know what an omega is, how would you know this….?” he murmured to himself, before laying back down with a guilty groan. 

“Alright. So. I don’t know how it works for prey, but this is so basic to us that I don’t even know where to start?” he admitted, earning himself a gentle nudge of encouragement from Sephiroth.    
“Well, all omegas ‘bloom’ at some point in their life. It’s called that because - well - the… The area between your cock and your ass sort of...ehm…”

“The seam between your penis and your anus opens up to reveal what we call a vagina. Given the flower-esque look of the folds around the opening, it has been given the descriptor ‘blooming’” Sephiroth finally said as he decided to help him when Zack was too flustered to go on. 

Zack did blush at the whole thing, but not quite as deeply as Cloud did. Cloud’s face was completely red at that, and he was quite honestly mortified. 

“I… But… Are you saying I’ve just… I have a vagina? Like a woman?” he asked, only barely holding back the urge to spread his legs and lean forward to look. 

“Eh, I wouldn’t say like a woman” Zack replied to that, seemingly having gained more courage. “Some people with vaginas are women, and some aren’t. Some people with vaginas are omegas, and some aren’t. There’s nothing inherently male or female about having a vagina”

“There… There isn’t?”

“No? Why, is it like that in prey society?”

“Yeah. Women have vaginas and men have penises” Cloud explained, also a bit flustered but too curious to stop himself. “Women get pregnant and give birth to children, while men… ehm… I mean… Have sex with them and create children. My friends Aerith and Tifa are both women, so they needed help from my friend Barret to get pregnant” he admitted, ignoring the painful stab going through his heart as he realized that he would never get to meet their child. 

Both Zack and Sephiroth looked surprised at that, though there seemed to be a small hint of actual anger on Sephiroth’s face as he sat up. 

“So what you’re saying is that prey can reproduce as long as there is someone with a vagina and someone with a penis? Truly? That’s all they need?”

“Yeah…? That’s how people get unexpected children. Surprise pregnancies are a rather common thing.Honestly, it’s such common knowledge that I thought… I thought the world just worked like that”

“Well it doesn’t” Sephiroth said curtly, deciding to stand up and pace next to the bed. Zack watched him with concerned eyes but didn’t try to join him or stop him. 

“Like we said before, it’s quite a delicate procedure for predators. It’s a shock to hear that a surprise pregnancy even exists as a concept when we have to plan and can only try for children twice every year” Zack explained. Cloud nodded as he supposed it made sense… It did also make him wonder who his father was. If predators were planned to such an extent, how had his mother ended up in Nibelheim with him? How had she had the strength? It was strange to realize that even though he loved his mother and knew everything about her and her personality - he knew nothing of her past. 

“So… I… I think I get it. I don’t think I mind it either, it just feels so surreal” Cloud admitted, finally straightening out to lay on his back without feeling the need to cover himself or close his legs tighter. “To think that there’s a part of my body that I never knew before… There were so many things I just assumed were true, and now I… I don’t know, it’s just a lot”

“Yeah, tell me about it” Zack chuckled, placing a gentle kiss on Cloud’s cheek. “But it makes me happy that you’re here with us now, spike”

Cloud tried really hard not to take those words too seriously, but he couldn’t hold back his soft smile as he looked up at Zack. 

“... You’re a total sap”

“And rigid as a log, so I guess that fits huh” Zack teased back with a gentle chuckle. 

“Not anymore” Cloud pointed out with a chuckle, glancing down at the “sap” coating Zack’s chest above his soft cock.

“Aren’t  _ you _ hilarious?” Zack laughed and nudged him with his elbow, earning him a light nudge back.

“Just sometimes”

Their banter soon turned into some lazy play-fighting, until Sephiroth decided to stop it by simply laying down on top of Zack. Given that he was much taller, and more compact, it effectively stopped Zack from doing more than wriggling and letting out little disgruntled noises. 

“Seph…! Get off-!”

“No” Sephiroth replied simply, gazing down at Cloud from where he laid on top of his wriggling mate. 

Sephiroth didn’t quite know what to make of the younger male yet. He was quiet but clearly with a sharp sense of humor and unwilling to let Zack’s jabs get to him. There was an air around him that was just inherently sad, unless he was looking at Zack, and Sephiroth quietly decided that he liked when Cloud was relaxed and smiling like he was at that moment. He wanted to see more of it. 

“... Should I teach you more about what we were doing during your heat?” Sephiroth asked with a curious tilt of his head. Completely confused and caught off-guard by that question, Cloud just frowned up at him, also ignoring Zack’s futile struggle. 

“What do you mean? Didn’t we already talk about it?”

“We talked about it, yes. I’m offering to show you by doing it again” Sephiroth clarified. When the meaning of that sunk in, Cloud blushed deeply again and sat up. 

“You-! You’re offering to have sex with me?”

“Why not? We’re reluctant mates, and seeing as you’re going to stay I don’t see why we can’t get to know each other better. The best way to learn about the new part of your life and body would be to use it, wouldn’t it?”

“I mean sure but…! It’s just so… it’s so sudden”

“You fucked Zack’s mouth not 15 minutes ago while watching me take him. If you weren’t attracted to us, you wouldn’t have stayed” Sephiroth pointed out and Cloud had to admit to himself that the other male was right. It may be new, it may be sudden, but did he want it? Oh yes. He had been jealous when they had sex, but not because he wanted to stop either of them from being with each other. He just really wanted to have sex like they did and  _ remember it  _ afterwards.

“... You promise to stop if I tell you to?” he asked, just to be sure, and he was relieved when Sephiroth nodded. 

“Of course. You can always say no to us” Sephiroth shrugged and moved off Zack so he could take his place between Cloud’s legs. Zack still stayed where he was, however, seemingly curious about what was going to happen next to him. 

“You have no doubt been able to smell something different about me and Angeal” Sephiroth explained, as though this was some kind of lecture… Which in a way it was, but still.    
“That is because we have stronger, specific scents than betas such as Zack and Genesis. Our scent-glands are more attractive to you on an instinctive level, even if you can appreciate Zack’s scent as well”

Cloud blushed at that, but didn’t try to hide anything and eagerly listened. 

“... Does my scent affect you in the same way?”

“It does” Sephiroth confirmed, leaning down to run his nose along Cloud’s neck, causing the latter to let out a loud, surprised keen. Now that he got that close, all Cloud could smell was the musky, heady scent of alpha, and it caused his body to react. He felt the tingle again, he started to salivate, and he couldn’t help but spread his legs further for Sephiroth. 

“So you can’t see it right now, but Seph is just as affected by you as you are by him” Zack suddenly decided to inform him. “His body is tensing up differently from when he sleeps with me, and at the base  _ here _ -” he said, doing something that made Sephiroth let out a startled snarl. “- a knot will grow in order to lock you two together. My body isn’t made to take it, so my hormones don’t trigger it”

Cloud nodded, actually finding the information fascinating, but it was  _ incredibly _ distracting to have Sephiroth between his legs and pressed up so close to his neck, so it was growing more and more difficult to actually hear what he was being told. It was almost frightening that he could be quite that aroused that soon. 

Sephiroth finally pulled back from his neck, making sure they both could breathe without necessarily inhaling the other’s phermones. Sephiroth let one hand trail down his chest and finally in between his legs. It was a little awkward and Cloud had to spread his legs further to accommodate, but it was worth it the moment Sephiroth’s fingers gently rubbed up along his new labia. 

Cloud gasped, laying his head back against the pillows, as he tried to make sense of the strange feeling. It was pleasurable, but not in the way he was used to with his cock. He didn’t stop Sephiroth however, and when his alpha slipped two steady fingers into him, his response was a pleased gasp. Sephiroth growled both at the sound and at the wet, hot sensation around his fingers, as he slowly started to finger him.    
It was different, but it felt good, and Cloud became unable to hold back his little breathless moans. They raised in volume as Zack began to press little kisses along his shoulder and neck, seemingly not wanting to be left to the side. Cloud ached to kiss him, but that somehow felt even more intimate than what they had been doing before. 

“Does he feel good, baby? I know Seph is skilled with his fingers” Zack murmured into his ear, causing him to gasp and instinctively squeeze around the fingers. “He’s making sure you’re ready. His cock is thick and heavy, and he doesn’t want to hurt you. Fuck you look good like this though, Spike…! Getting me all riled up too”

If Zack kept talking like that, Cloud feared that it would be over far too soon, but at the same time he really truly didn’t want him to stop. 

When Sephiroth finally placed Cloud’s legs around his waist in preparation, the latter no longer felt even a lingering concern. All he wanted was to have the handsome man inside of him - filling him up -  _ taking him _ …!

“Sephiroth” he breathed, causing the other to growl and lean forward to kiss him. They met in the middle, Cloud wrapping his arms around his alpha’s neck as he bucked his hips with an eager growl. 

When Sephiroth finally started to push inside him, Cloud couldn’t help but let his nails dig into his back. It was so good…! So hot…! He didn’t know what to do with himself-!

Luckily, he didn’t have to think, but just trust in their instincts. He met Sephiroth’s thrusts, the two falling into a natural rhythm as Sephiroth worked his cock in deeper and deeper with each thrust. Their grunts and growls echoed each other, and Zack’s aroused growl occasionally joined the mix. He had taken himself in hand, shamelessly working his cock over as he kept whispering naughty things into Cloud’s ear.

“You look so good together…! Look how good you are - how well you’re taking him~ He’ll keep fucking you again and again until his knot starts to swell, and then he’ll lock you together - filling you to the brim with his cum”

Cloud cried out at that, squirming and writhing as he got closer and closer to the edge. Him and Sephiroth had their noses buried in each other’s necks - inhaling the other’s scent - as they moved faster and faster. Sephiroth took hold of Cloud’s legs and spread them wider again, changing the angle in a way that had Cloud clawing at his back hard enough to leave long red lines along the pale skin.

Of course, Zack had been right, and before long Cloud could feel the base of Sephiroth’s cock grow thicker and thicker, and Cloud let out his loudest, most eager growl yet. 

It was amazing to experience this while he was himself…! Yes, he was aroused to the point that it felt like he was high, but at the same time he knew just what he was doing and he knew that he wanted it. He couldn’t see himself ever not wanting this again - it just felt so right…! So fucking good…!!!

“ _ Alpha _ ” he whined, causing Sephiroth to grunt as the knot grew too large for him to pull out, but still not at it’s full potential. 

“ _ Omega…! Mine… _ ” Sephiroth growled, biting into Cloud’s neck again. Cloud’s vision went completely white then - His world reduced only to the explosion of pleasure. He couldn’t hear anything but a loud ringing noise in his right ear, he couldn’t see anything, and it was the best orgasm he’d had in his entire life. 

As his senses started to return, he dimly registered that he was being petted and that his neck was being licked. He still felt full, but not uncomfortably so, and he felt completely sated. It was difficult to speak however, so he just let out a little confused noise. Luckily, Zack seemed to understand what he meant and grinned, kissing his forehead. 

“Yeah, that tends to happen when you get knotted. Or so I’ve heard. I would have warned you about it, but it looked like it was a nice surprise. And look at Seph - he’s completely gone too” he teased gently, gesturing at the alpha who laid completely and utterly relaxed curled around his omega. The little jab earned Zack a tiny growl, but he truly seemed too content to put any actual force into it. 

“You two lovebirds stay here” Zack hummed as he stood up with a satisfying stretch. “I’ll prepare us some breakfast and once Ang and Gen are done fucking, we can all eat together and bond,yeah?”

“Yeah…” Replied Sephiroth, still purring and nuzzled into Cloud’s neck. 

“Yeah” said Cloud, still stuck in the happy disbelief that he actually had a new home to explore. “Thank you”


	10. Family dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! Here's a faster and shorter update! Just a little chapter to get things going, and to further explore just some things!
> 
> I suppose there's a content warning for "OT5 eating raw meat"?
> 
> Also - Vincent and Reeve are going to be mentioned in this chapter, even though I honestly haven't decided what animals would fit them the best. Any ideas are welcome!

Zack whistled to himself as he went down to their storage to fetch whatever they could eat for breakfast. He had managed to take down a moose not too long ago, and it would be enough to feed his family. They would likely be rather hungry at this point, so he dragged the entire body into the cave where they usually ate. He then fetched some buckets and went down to the river nearby to get them some water. He had several gulps to himself before carrying them up, given that he was quite thirsty after the double rounds of sex. 

When he was almost done properly skinning their breakfast, he was joined by Angeal and Genesis. Angeal, who stayed in his humanoid form, walked over to ruffle Zack’s hair lovingly. Meanwhile, Genesis seemed more than content to rest in the form of a fox draped over Angeal’s broad shoulders. 

“Hey pup. We figured you might want some help” Angeal rumbled, chuckling softly as Zack hugged him tight and pressed a kiss to his lips. Genesis growled just a little, but let out a happy chirp as Zack kissed his soft head between his pretty ears. 

“ **_Angeal wanted to help. I would have preferred to nap for a bit longer_ ** ” Genesis chittered, licking Angeal’s cheek and earning himself an ear-scratch from his mate. 

“Of course you would” Zack hummed and rolled his eyes. “Seph and Cloud are still snuggling I think, but they’ll be here as soon as they hear us eat”

“Good point” Angeal agreed with a smile and sat down, starting to tear the pieces apart so it would be easier for the lot of them to eat with no hands later. “This is quite the catch. How did you manage to catch a moose shifter?”

“He was kinda old I think. Underestimated me, fell into my trap and broke his legs” Zack shrugged. “He was walking into our territory so I dealt with him”

“While we were with Cloud?”

“Yeah. We think he was some kind of scout given the trinkets we found in his bags and stuff. We won’t know until Cloud takes a look at Genesis’ new books though” he said and gestured towards the fox, whose ears were pressed back flat against his head. Angeal once again decided to scratch him lovingly with a coo, and he slid off Angeal’s shoulders. He didn’t leave his presence however, but stayed on his lap as he snatched a piece of meat from Angeal’s hand. Angeal, who was more than used to such things, simply reached for another piece and decided to dig in. 

Zack brought one of the water buckets closer, and then shifted into the form of a wolf so he could have breakfast properly with the two of them. Before he laid down, however, he stretched and shook himself with delight. It always felt strange to be in one form for too long, and it felt good to have fur and a tail again. The tail was always the biggest problem when in a human form. It was such an important piece of his body when it came to speaking as well as showing emotions, and talking while lacking a tail was comparable to talking to someone unable to make expressions. 

With a wagging tail, he dug into the meat eagerly, taking hold of one of the legs and pulling it towards himself. While Genesis looked almost delicate in his feeding, and Angeal looked downright human if one ignored the fact that he was eating raw meat - Zack ate with the gusto of a pup. Angeal raised an eyebrow at his sloppy eating, but he had long since given up on trying to get some proper manners into the younger man. 

As Angeal had predicted, the scent of fresh blood and meat soon lured Sephiroth and Cloud into the room as well. Without saying a single word, Sephiroth changed into his tiger form mid-step, and Cloud found himself faltering behind as he took in the look of him. 

Sephiroth was enormous…! His mother and him were the size of ponies or small horses, but Sephiroth was larger still. His tail was long and elegant, his paws and (adorable) toe beans were almost obscenely large, and every single move he made showed off the controlled power of muscles underneath the gorgeous black and white coat. When he sensed that Cloud had stopped, he turned to look at him with his gorgeous green eyes.

“ **_Something wrong?_ ** ” he rumbled, sounding rather amused. Given that his ears were rather perked up and his tail was swinging slowly and contently behind him, Cloud could only assume that his interpretation was right. 

Both Angeal and Zack perked up happily as the two joined them, while Genesis simply ignored them in order to steal yet another one of Angeal’s pieces. 

“Is it… Is it a culture thing to eat while in animal form?” Cloud asked, confused by how three out of four of the other predators had shifted. He really didn’t want to make another mistake and accidentally be impolite or rude. He wanted to get along with the rest of them after all. 

“Not really. It’s just generally easier like this” Zack barked, his tail wagging incredibly fast behind him as he gnawed on the bone. 

“It’s easier for me in this form” Angeal told Cloud, patting the spot next to him in an invitation. They would be sitting in a circle no matter what, and even though Genesis bristled at having him so close, Angeal knew that they couldn’t just tip-toe around the issue. They would be living together, and Genesis was just going to have to deal with it. To a certain extent of course. 

“Oh? Why?” Cloud asked as he sat down on the offered spot before changing into a wolf. They were right after all - it WAS easier with a body that was made to eat such things. “ **_I’m sorry if that’s a rude question or something. I have never met a bear shifter before_ ** ”

Angeal simply chuckled and shrugged, making sure to pet Genesis in order to keep him relaxed. 

“I’m too large,” he admitted with a grin, sucking some blood off his thumb. “I can technically move around freely in the cave, but my size makes it harder to get completely full. That, and it’s less of a hassle to get through the doorways”

Cloud considered that for a moment and supposed that it made sense. It did also make him curious to see his mate like that honestly. Sephiroth’s size was impressive, as was Zack’s honestly, but that implied that Angeal was larger than both of them. Just thinking about it made Cloud a little flustered honestly, and so he focused on eating himself full and listening to the conversations around him.

“ **_By the way, Genesis and I decided to contact Rufus for help about the situation_ ** ” Zack said, reaching out for more to eat. 

“ **_Oh? How come?_ ** ” Sephiroth asked, his ears twisting back and flicking his tail in annoyance. 

“ **_I know you two don’t get along too well-_ ** ”

“ **_Understatement of the century_ ** ”

“ **_Yeah yeah Genesis, I know. But still, his pack is more used to cubs and pups. I think Lea is almost four by now, and Larxene is two I believe, and that’s just the lions. I don’t keep track of the cheetahs and their kittens_ ** ”

“Fair enough, but when would they be arriving? If they get here too late, they’ll have to stay nearby, but if they get here too late - Cloud might be too far along” Angeal pointed out, reaching out to give Cloud a nice scratch behind the ears and earning himself a pleased rumble. 

“ **_It’s shit that winter is almost here_ ** ” Zack agreed with another huff. “ **_But do we know anyone else who can talk to Cloud about what it’s like being an omega? I mean we can go over the theoretical shit until we’re blue in the face, but it’s not like we can speak from experience or teach him anything else_ ** ”

“ **_And here I thought my lesson in his biology was quite in-depth_ ** ”

“ **_Yes Seph, very funny. You sure are a funny kitten_ ** ” Zack taunted and had to shift away as Sephiroth swatted at him with one of his large paws. 

“What about Reeve and Vincent?” Angeal suggested. “Their pack should know more, right?”

“ **_Somewhat. I suppose it depends on who we want to be indebted to_ ** ” Genesis pointed out with a chitter as he rolled over to ask Angeal for belly rubs. A wish that was granted immediately. 

“ **_We could ask them, but do you think Vincent would be happy about being involved with me and my potential cubs?_ ** ” Sephiroth pointed out, grooming himself properly with his tongue now. 

“ **_We could just send out messages to both of them? It’s not like it would hurt to ask_ ** ” Zack pointed out - ever the optimist. 

“I suppose that could be done. We just need the resources to-  _ NO YOU DON’T _ !” Angeal snarled suddenly and took a firm hold of Zack’s scruff. The wolf had quite obviously prepared to throw himself into what was left of their food so he could roll around in it - an instinct that Cloud had learned to ignore as a pup - but Angeal caught him before he had a chance to do so. 

“ **_Oh come on_ ** ” Zack whined, wriggling just a little in the grip. 

“No. We will ready a pile that you can use later if you want. But we aren’t done with this yet. If you want to play, I can indulge you with something else” Angeal said firmly as he released the wolf. At the promise of something else, Zack’s tail started to wag again.

“ **_Oh really? Not tired after boning Genesis?_ ** ”

“Never too tired to throw you a bone, Zack” Angeal grinned and, quite literally, picked up one of the leftover bones. He wagged it a little, making sure that he had both wolves’ attention, and then threw it over his shoulder. 

Yes. It was certainly childish. Cloud would have been offended if anyone had assumed that a wolf just went off chasing anything that was tossed, because it wasn’t true.... But it was a fun game, and when Zack bolted after the thrown bone, Cloud simply couldn’t stand the challenge down and leapt after him. 

Zack got to it first, of course, but that just meant that it turned into a fun round of tug-o-war. They tugged and played, both struggling to get the upper hand with playful growls. Once Zack managed to win the bone, Cloud threw himself at him, and it turned into a playful wrestle instead.

“ **_You sure know how to keep them occupied_ ** ” Sephiroth commented with a chuckle. His gaze had also been unable to leave the wagging bone, but unlike the wolves - he had more ‘dignity’ and decided not to join them for now. 

“I know how to keep Zack occupied for sure. Cloud being here just means that I don’t have to join the game myself” Angeal agreed with a big smile. 

Genesis was also completely happy to have avoided their little games and was dozing peacefully on Angeal’s lap….    
That was, until someone yanked his tail hard, causing him to let out a cry of surprise. He turned around with a snarl, trying to see who had bothered him. 

“ **_Zack, I swear if you don’t let go of me I will turn you into mince meat_ ** ”

Zack said nothing, nor did Cloud who was watching both of them curiously. There was a mischievous glint in Zack’s eyes, and both of their tails were wagging. Naturally, Zack tugged one more time, once again making Genesis let out an angry noise. 

“ **_I’m warning you-!_ ** ”

Another tug, and with a shrill warcry, Genesis set off after the two wolves. The moment they managed to provoke Genesis enough, they turned to flee. 

“ **_Run, Cloud!_ ** ”

“ **_I’m running!_ ** ”

“ **_He’s gaining on us!_ ** ”

“ **_Move faster then! He’ll get you!_ ** ”

Once the three were gone, Angeal moved over to lean against Sephiroth who greeted him with an affectionate forehead bump. 

“ **_... How is Genesis?_ ** ”

“You know how he is. He’s concerned about being replaced” Angeal sighed, snuggling in closer. “He’s afraid that we’ll leave him now that we have an omega”

“ **_I assume you told him how foolish that was?_ ** ”

“Yes, but it’s been nagging him for years, Seph. It’s not that easy to deal with for him. I would like to stop talking about the possibility of children with Cloud because it hurts Genesis, but we can’t just pretend like it doesn’t have to be dealt with”

“ **_We would only hurt ourselves by not being prepared_ ** ”

“Exactly”

“ **_So what do you suggest we do then? How can we put Genesis at ease? We can’t just force him and Cloud to get along_ ** ”

“No, that’s something they will have to figure out on their own. What we can do is keep reminding him that we don’t love or value him less because he’s a beta. He just… He needs regular attention and affection from us”

“ **_Hmph. That can be arranged_ ** ”

“I know. You just need to be aware of it as well. I think it would be good for him to spend some time with just the two of us”

“ **_That works…. I like spending time with Genesis and you. You know I just don’t like to talk_ ** ”

“Very much so, love. He knows it too. But he’s insecure, which turns into anger, which can turn into violence. If we encourage him and make sure he knows we love him as he is, his anger and insecurities might go away. It won’t be easy, but it might make it easier for him and Cloud to get along”

“ **_You have a point. I think that’s what Zack is trying to accomplish as well by pulling Genesis into playing with them. We just need to make sure no one feels left out_ ** ”

“Exactly. See, you can be a sensitive softie when you put your mind to it” Angeal teased and kissed Sephiroth’s soft forehead. 

“ **_Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation to keep up_ ** ”

“Of course of course. Now, want to help me put together a pile for the wolves to roll around in?”

“ **_Absolutely not_ ** ”


	11. Pampering the fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In an attempt to make sure that Genesis knows he's loved, the alphas set out to properly pamper their foxy mate. Hopefully, a round of good, affectionate sex will give Genesis confidence enough to give Cloud a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey!
> 
> Sorry for the slight delay and absence lately. I was visited by family, and writing smut while my brother is nearby would just be weird XD
> 
> That, and I honestly had some trouble putting this chapter together. I needed some form of 'bridge' over to actually explore and get into the stuff that I am eager to write about, but the 'how' was strangely difficult to get to. I didn't know where I wanted to go with this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it nontheless XD  
> I considered getting to the part I wanted to get to in this chapter as well, but you'd have to wait longer then, and honestly the break felt more natural where I put it now. 
> 
> Also!!!! THERE IS FANART FOR THIS FIC NOW!!! I can't put into WORDS how happy and overwhelmed this makes me! That someone wants to put down time, care and love into hours of work to make art for this...!!!!  
> I will put the link in the chapter notes at the end! Give it a LOT of love, ok??? I will make sure to put any works inspired by this fic in the end notes - Just tell me if you've done anything, pass me a link, and I'll share it. Seriously - My heart skipped a beat!  
> If you want to tag me on twitter, my username is MaironAdmirable! If there's an interest for me to talk about behind the scenes, ideas and just... stuff like that, poke me and I'll make sure to do so!
> 
> Enjoy!!!!

Several hours passed by before Cloud, Zack and Genesis returned to their home. All of them were out of breath, quite ruffled and muddy; but there were bright smiles on all of their faces. Genesis seemed to be reluctantly amused by their game of chase that they had had out in the forest and looked far less tense than he did earlier. 

“I had no idea foxes could climb trees like that” Cloud admitted as he slumped down on one of the seats near the entrance, causing Zack to laugh and Genesis to grin smugly. 

“It’s not like it’s a secret” Genesis replied, stretching himself with a happy trill before sitting down as well. 

“Maybe not, but I’ve never been around foxes before you” Cloud huffed. “Humans don’t allow foxes to get near the villages. They tend to kill too many chickens”

“Hmph. So it’s wrong when  _ we _ do it, but _ they _ get to eat chickens?”

“It’s more about the theft than the eating”

“Oh I’m sure they say that, but I think it’s just an excuse to be bigoted assholes”

“I’m sure it’s possible. Humans tend to be a little… Hypocritical” Cloud admitted with a small shrug. 

“Really? How so?”

“Well, I think I mentioned this before, but many of them harp on about how horrible predators are for eating meat, only to then taunt the herbivores for  _ not _ eating meat” Cloud huffed, a deep frown on his face as he remembered the prejudice his friends had had to endure. “They would talk about how carnivores were bound to crawl into their homes and eat their children, but brag about how fine their steaks made from piglets or young cows were”

“Truly?” Genesis asked, seemingly actually interested, even though he was trying not to show it too much. He didn’t want to let down his guards around Cloud, and the wolf still made him tense, but he was apparently going to stay so he just had to… Make the experience as painless as possible.    
“That does sound hypocritical… and tasteless! Any person of good taste would acknowledge that the taste of children is vastly inferior to the taste of teens and adults!”

He said it with such flair that Zack started laughing while Cloud just bristled, a faint blush of frustration on his cheeks even though he knew that it was a joke. .    
“ _ You-! _ That’s such a cruel thing to say!”

“Cruel though it may be, it’s true~”

“ **_Don’t tease him about his preferences, Gen_ ** ” Zack teased, sitting down next to Cloud with an eagerly wagging tail. “ **_Maybe Cloud here just LOVES the tender flesh of infants_ ** ”

“Will you two  _ stop _ ! You’re just messing with me!” Cloud protested, shoving Zack playfully and desperately trying to hold back a laugh. They were being ridiculous, and while the humor was dark - it was nonetheless intended to tease him lovingly, and he appreciated that. 

“That and his apparent preference for you just confirms that his tastes are questionable” Genesis chittered again, dodging a playful bite by Zack. 

“ **_Well you mated me, so what does that say about you?_ ** ”

“That I occasionally have a terrible lack of judgement”

“ **_You little shit_ ** ”

Cloud was a little relieved to not be the center of attention anymore, and instead just leaned back to observe the two men in front of him. He was still bothered by the fact that Genesis had suggested that he should be killed, of course. That wasn’t exactly an easy thing to forget or forgive. He was just honestly so confused about the why…! Was the thought of Cloud being a part of their pack that much of a threat? Angeal had said that they would have to restructure a bit in order to fit him in, but that it wouldn’t be too bad. Even Sephiroth, who seemed less sympathetic than the rest of them, had said it would be fine. So why was Genesis so bothered by him being there? How could he just sit there and joke around with him when just hours earlier - He had called for Cloud’s banishment or death?

His train of thought was interrupted as the two alphas joined them. Angeal reached down to kiss all three of them on the lips in a greeting, while Sephiroth just rubbed his soft, tiger cheek against theirs. That was, until he reached Zack. With a flick of his tail and an almost playful rumble, he took Zack by the scruff and pulled him away from the others as if he was a disobedient cub. Zack, of course, protested and squirmed in the grip. 

“ **_Hey! Seph! Let me go!_ ** ”

“ **_No. You are dirty_ ** ”

“ **_Oh come on, I can just go down to the river! You don’t have to groom me!_ ** ”

As Sephiroth jumped up to the second floor with Zack still dangling from his mouth, Zack yelped. It sounded like he kept complaining but it was muffled to the rest of the pack that were sitting just by the entrance. 

“Can we expect the same treatment?” Genesis asked Angeal teasingly as the alpha sat down between them, making sure that he had some form of physical contact with the both of them. He held Genesis’ hand, and let his knee rest against Cloud’s. 

“Perhaps. I suppose it depends on whether Sephiroth can be bothered to clean both of you up as well” Angeal replied with a chuckle, turning slightly to Cloud to explain.    
“Zack is rather bad at making sure he washes himself so Sephiroth has taken it upon himself to keep him clean. Genesis doesn’t mind bathing now and then, so he doesn’t get the same treatment. You haven’t been with us long enough for him to determine whether you’re a good boy or not” he teased with a wink, causing Cloud to grumble and blush faintly. Somehow it felt good to be referred to as ‘ _ good boy _ ’ by Angeal, ridiculous though it was. 

“Well, my ma always made sure I washed myself off properly so I don’t think it should be a problem. I just don’t know where to do it yet” he admitted, fondly recalling the many times his ma had reminded him of when he was just a little pup who most certainly didn’t want to be bathed. The way he had wailed and howled as she put him in his little bath had apparently been both deafening and endearing at the same time.

“Perhaps Zack could show you once Sephiroth is done with him then?” Angeal suggested, smoothly getting to the actual point that he had wanted to get to. 

It was true that Sephiroth usually took it upon himself to make sure that Zack was clean enough for his tastes, but this time they had an ulterior motive with it. Both of the alphas had agreed that they should pamper Genesis and make sure that he didn’t feel forgotten now that they had a new pack member who happened to have the primary gender that Genesis had always wanted. They had agreed that they wouldn’t baby him or start prioritizing him - He was an adult with more than enough skills to care for himself - but when a pack expanded it was important to compromise for everyone’s comfort. Cloud arguably needed more help than the rest of them so the focus had to be on him, but in order for _ that _ to happen they had to make sure that Genesis didn’t feel threatened by his presence. Cloud needed the whole pack to accept him, and Genesis wouldn’t do that unless he knew that he wasn’t being valued less.    
So the plan was to have Zack and Cloud away from the cave, in order to give the alphas and Genesis some alone-time. 

“That would be nice” Cloud agreed in a murmur, running a hand through his ruffled hair. “I would love to explore the territory more, especially as I’m going to help protecting it”

“Good thinking” Angeal praised him, leaning close enough to kiss his cheek, while squeezing Genesis’ hand lovingly. “It sounded like you three had a nice time out there”

“Genesis cheated”

“I did  _ not _ ! I used my superior skills as a fox to attack you from above”

“We couldn’t follow you up there!”

“Of course not, that’s why I did it”

“As I said -  _ cheating _ ”

“It’s not cheating if we never agreed on any rules”

On the surface, it was a playful argument, but Angeal could feel the tension behind every single word. He didn’t do anything to interfere, as they would have to sort their personal grievances out themselves later on once Angeal and Sephiroth had helped Genesis. He did stay where he was however, in order to make sure that they wouldn’t go further than thinly-veiled insults and jabs. 

Soon, and yet not quite soon enough, Sephiroth and Zack joined them again. Both had changed out of their animal forms, and Zack looked vastly cleaner and more put-together than before. He also looked quite determined, which just confirmed to Angeal that Zack was on-board with their idea. 

“Zack - Cloud would like for you to show him where the springs are so he can wash himself off” Angeal said, trying to give him the opportunity needed. 

“You sure? I’ll just get dirty again” Zack teased, earning himself a light swat on the ass from Sephiroth. 

“You are literally heading off to the springs to help Cloud get clean. You can take that opportunity to prove to me that you’re capable of caring for yourself” he remarked, completely deadpan but Zack still laughed. 

“Fair enough. Come on, Cloud! Let’s leave before Seph gets you too” he grinned and walked over to Cloud, pulling him up by his elbow and rubbing cheeks with him briefly before heading towards the opening of the cave. Cloud grinned, though his was more modest than Zack’s was, and he gladly followed the other wolf outside. 

Once they were far enough away that Sephiroth couldn’t hear them anymore, he reached down to pick Genesis up into his arms. Seeing as the smaller man hadn’t really expected that, he let out a surprised yip and instinctively slung his arms around Sephiroth’s neck. His hair seemed to poof up a little, like it did whenever he got startled, but he made sure to glare at Angeal when he laughed. 

“Don’t mock me. I was just surprised - You usually don’t pick me up and toss me around like this” Genesis huffed, trying to flatten his hair down with his hands. 

“I’m not really tossing you around, Gen. I simply picked you up” Sephiroth pointed out, nuzzling his mate’s neck lovingly as Angeal stepped in closer. “If you want us to toss you between us, we can certainly do that”

“Don’t you dare” Genesis growled at that, pretending that he didn’t like to be carried. Not that it would do him any good, seeing as Genesis often asked to be picked up by them, or rested over their shoulders like he had that morning.    
“What are you planning? You didn’t have to send the pups away from the mountain to bathe in a hot spring you know?”

“We do, but we figured that we would head down to the underground ones to help clean you up” Angeal chuckled, leaning in to nuzzle lovingly at Genesis’ neck, causing the other to shiver. “We wanted you to ourselves, love. Is that bad?”

“Not really” Genesis grumbled and held on as he was carried down through the secret passageways they had deeper down in the mountain. 

Their den looked grand enough, but much of it was hidden deep under the main part of their home, much like pathways in an anthill. One of said paths lead down to an underground grotto with a large mineral hot spring. Extra lights were completely unnecessary in that area seeing as the spring was naturally lit up by the light of the minerals covering the bottom of it. They were similar to the ones acting like a chandelier in the entrance, but much smaller and sprinkled throughout the bottom of the little pool. 

Placed within reach of the pool were several jars and bottles filled with different kinds of oils and concoctions. Some had been stolen from prey travelers while some had been made by Angeal. Sephiroth was the most interested in fine oils for his hair and fur, Genesis indulged quite often, and Angeal knew that his mates liked it the few times that he put more effort into grooming himself properly. 

“You’re truly spoiling me today” Genesis purred as Sephiroth stepped into the pool and sat down, still with him in his arms. They both let out a pleased sigh as the hot water warmed them up - a noise that Angeal echoed as he stepped in next to them. 

“We need to do this more often” he rumbled, ducking his head under the water to make sure all of his hair became properly wet. 

“We do” Genesis agreed, seemingly happy to sit on Sephiroth’s lap even now that he was given the opportunity to move off him. When he seemed to fall asleep, Angeal gently nudged his shoulder and leaned in to nip gently at it. 

“Love? I would like to give you a massage” he murmured, kissing ‘innocently’ up along his jaw. 

“I suppose I could allow it” Genesis replied sluggishly, shifting off Sephiroth’s lap so he could place himself between them with his back to Angeal. As Angeal started to focus on Genesis’ back, Sephiroth took the chance to wash and oil Genesis’ hair for him. Both of them kept touching and rubbing him as though he was something precious - something loved - and Genesis couldn’t help but get lost in it. He was more relaxed than he had been in days, and when Sephiroth leaned in to kiss him - he melted further. He returned the kiss with a pleased sigh, wrapping his arms loosely around Sephiroth’s neck to pull him in closer. This gave Angeal an opportunity to wrap his arms fully around Genesis’ waist so he could press his chest against his lover’s lovely back. 

“So beautiful” he purred into Genesis’ ear, enjoying how he could feel the smaller man shiver as he placed a trail of warm, wet kisses down along his neck. When he dragged his tongue firmly against the mating mark that he himself had left, Genesis let out a loud whine into Sephiroth’s mouth. 

“Our lovely, clever fox” Sephiroth purred into the kiss, his warm hands sliding along Genesis’ thighs - First on the outside and then along the inside. Genesis moaned again, his breath hitching as both Angeal and Sephiroth wrapped one hand each around his hardening cock. When they started to move their hands over him at a steady pace, he let out a choked groan and leaned his head back against Angeal’s shoulder, leaving his neck bare to Sephiroth. The gentle splashing of the water brought on by the movement almost seemed deafening to him, and he gasped as Sephiroth leaned in to nip and lick at his own mating mark. 

“We love you so much, Gen” Angeal rumbled, rubbing his thumb briefly over the slick head and earning himself another gasp. “Will you let us show you how much you mean to us? How much we adore you?”

Genesis briefly noted that they  _ had  _ had ulterior motives with this, just like he had expected. His pride made him want to snarl at them and push them away, but more than that he just truly wanted this so much that he didn’t even have to think twice about nodding and accepting the offer. He loved these two so impossibly much…! He was scared, and that was shameful. They all knew that it couldn’t be helped by one round of overly attentive sex, but he did want it so badly that it almost brought tears to his eyes. 

“Please” he breathed, unable to put the full extent of his need into words. Both of the alphas knew him well enough to read it into that one, gentle word however; and as Angeal turned Genesis’ head so he could give him a passionate kiss - Sephiroth reached for the oils needed to fully prepare their beta lover. 

Sephiroth coated his fingers generously in the slick oil, and then gently slid one finger into Genesis while he was distracted by Angeal. Sephiroth let out a silent growl of anticipation as he felt just how warm and hot Genesis was around his finger - a sound that was answered by a submissive but eager whimper from Genesis. 

“You feel good, love” he purred as he leaned in to kiss and bite at his neck again; the pace of his finger inside him keeping it’s steady pace. “So warm and inviting~ I can hardly wait”.

Now that Sephiroth had something to compare to, he couldn’t help but acknowledge the many differences in having sex with an omega or a beta. While having sex with Cloud had been mind-blowing and intense, he felt more in control with Zack and Genesis. Sure, he enjoyed letting go and become a little feral now and then, but he preferred having full control and his concentration in a firm grasp. If he had been with Cloud, he would likely have been too focused on getting inside him. With Genesis, however, he could tease and play as much as he wanted. Something that he, of course, used to his full advantage by making sure Genesis came apart entirely.

Genesis let out little moans every time Sephiroth kissed a particularly good spot, or when his finger moved in a truly pleasant way. He cursed sharply when a second finger was added, his noises raising in pitch once the third and fourth fingers pressed into him. He was unable to keep kissing Angeal when Sephiroth went for his prostate however, and he let out a little howl of pleasure as he bucked his hips to get him in deeper. 

“C-come on…! I’m ready-!”

“Are you certain? We don’t want to break you” Angeal teased, his voice roughened by his arousal. 

“ _ Yes _ , you sadistic assholes…! Don’t make me beg for it-!” he hissed, crying out again as Sephiroth curled his fingers and started to relentlessly milk Genesis’ prostate. His eyes shut tight as he was nearly overwhelmed by the pleasure, his mouth hanging open as his cries now easily overpowered the sound of the splashing water. He was always loud during sex, but down in the grotto his voice seemed amplified as it echoed around them, and both of the alphas decided that they wanted to hear  _ more _ . 

“Fuck-!  _ Ah~! _ I’m g-! Cumming-!  _ Oh~! _ Yes~!” Genesis cried, louder and louder until he finally came generously over their intertwined fingers. While Genesis still trembled in his after-shocks, Sephiroth gathered up the warm cum and used it as lubricant as he stroked Angeal’s cock. The bear snarled in surprise, baring his fangs as he gasped and bucked into the tight, slick grip. 

“Find yourself some stamina, Angeal. We haven’t even started yet” Sephiroth growled smugly as he used his grip to position Angeal under Genesis’ ass. The moment he pulled his fingers out, he also pushed Genesis down onto the thick, hard cock. Angeal snarled again, his fangs grazing against Genesis’ shoulder as the latter shrieked in pleasure and slight pain. It was almost overwhelming as he was still sensitive from his orgasm, but he loved it…! He loved it when his lovers kept going and going, even as he was sensitive and trembling from pleasure. The part of his mind that  _ hadn’t _ been fucked into incoherency noted how attentive and loving they were being, and it made his heart feel all warm and fuzzy. The coherent part of his mind was swiftly pushed to the side as Angeal started to move inside him. 

Sephiroth simply watched them for a moment, admiring how they moved in perfect sync. While the whole ordeal was incredibly arousing, of course, Sephiroth’s favourite part of it was the expressions on their faces. Genesis’ beautiful face open and vulnerable in his pleasure; Angeal’s light blush and his gaze kept firmly on his beloved…! It was art to Sephiroth, and he couldn’t help the happy, possessive growl that rumbled in his chest as he reached in to capture Genesis’ open mouth in a sloppy kiss. 

Sephiroth was, however, finally growing impatient and wanted to get on with the final plan. He reached down to put a hand on Angeal’s hip in a silent command for him to stop, which he did with a reluctant growl. Genesis also whined, not having wanted it to end. As Sephiroth slicked up his fingers again and pressed them against his already full entrance however, Genesis let out a sharp curse. 

“You can’t be serious-!”

“Why? You’ve done this before”

“With Zack and one of you yes…! But I don’t think I can take both of your monster cocks” Genesis grumbled breathlessly.

“Aren’t you a little curious, love?” Angeal asked, voice strained as he fought to stay still as Sephiroth kept rubbing his finger against Genesis’ rim and - because he was currently inside Genesis - Angeal’s cock. “We know you can do it, but we won’t force you”

“We love you and want to give you this, but if it becomes too much, I’ll gladly fuck you after Angeal has cum inside you” Sephiroth agreed. Genesis didn’t doubt them at all. He knew that he could say no if he truly didn’t want it, and they would stop. He did also think that it was unfair to expect him to be able to think properly in the current situation, but….

_ Fuck _ , he really wanted both of them. 

“Do it then. Mess me up, you greedy fucking beasts” Genesis teased with a grin. Said grin turned into an ‘o’ of pleasure just moments after, however, as Sephiroth pressed a finger inside him next to Angeal’s cock. Sephiroth kept the pace of his fingers steady as he kept adding them one by one, and by the time he deemed Genesis to be ready, the fox was nearly crying from pleasure and Angeal was letting out continuous growls and snarls into Genesis’ shoulder and neck. 

Both of the alphas let out loud snarls as Sephiroth finally pressed himself inside, and they visibly struggled not to move until Genesis told them it was alright.    
The beta just had his mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure, his nails digging deep enough into Sephiroth’s back to leave red marks. He was unable to form words - Hells barely even able to make any form of noise at all - but he somehow managed to choke out an encouraging mewl. 

From that point on, the whole thing could only be described as feral. Fangs were bared, animalistic mewls mingled with primal snarls and growls, and as Genesis’ nails dug even harder into Sephiroth’s back - the scent of blood joined the mix. They moved faster and faster, harder and harder, until Genesis came around them with a desperate shriek of pleasure. Angeal was unable to hold back any longer and followed just seconds after, cumming and biting deep into Genesis’ shoulder. With the added slick and warmth of Angeal’s cum combined with the tighter grip of Genesis around him, Sephiroth came only moments later. He too dug his teeth into Genesis’ other shoulder, but instead of protesting or letting out any form of noise of pain - Genesis just sounded pleased and appreciative. 

His alphas wanted him, his alphas loved him, and they had marked him from the inside out. 

He would never be alone. 

He was safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19


	12. Splashing thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and Zack travel to a nearby hotspring and have some important talks and realizations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Thank you so much for the support and the response on the earlier chapter! This one got out faster because the words just seemed to flow right out of my fingers XD
> 
> I will give you a fair warning now - The boys will be VERY fluffy in this. For once, not in the literal sense. 
> 
> Next chapter might not be quite this soft though, so enjoy it while you can~

While the rest of the pack were busy taking care of eachother, Zack and Cloud made their way through the forest. The leaves in the trees around them were all red, orange or yellow by now, and the ground was covered with the same blanket of colors. It was still a little strange to move around without any shoes on, but Cloud had to admit to himself that he quite liked the feeling of crunching leaves under his feet as they walked. The days were shorter now and the entire forest was warmed up by the golden glow of the steadily setting sun. There was no way they would be able to get back before it was dark, but that wasn’t really a problem. They were nocturnal after all. 

Zack seemingly enjoyed walking in the leaves as well, if his pleased humming was anything to go by. The taller male simply kept his gaze forward, occasionally flicking to the side if he picked up the sound of something moving, but Cloud couldn’t stop sneaking glances at him. 

Zack was simply too radiant to ignore - Especially when he was lit with gold like this. The lovely streaks that shimmered in his hair as the sun touched it, the way his eyes seemed even brighter now, and the surrounding colors seemed to give a faint glow to his skin. He walked with casually confident strides, knowing that this was his home and he felt safe. Just looking at him made Cloud feel safer as well, even if he struggled to keep up with Zack’s long steps.

Everything about the other male appealed to Cloud - From the tips of his spiky hair to his clawed toes - and it was starting to concern him. Him and Zack hadn’t known each other for that long, but so many things had happened. Initially, his feelings of admiration had been based on him being the one that saved him from the river, but somewhere along the line it had shifted into something more. Not just the sexual attraction - Genesis was to blame for that - but… Something  _ more _ than that! He knew that he was technically mated now, and that was fine. It wasn’t an older woman, like his mother had suggested, but they were - or rather seemed - like wonderful men. Strong, resourceful, kind to an extent, and they had treated him well this far.   
But while he didn’t mind being mated with Sephiroth and Angeal, he  _ wanted _ Zack to be his mate. He wanted it almost desperately, but what could he do about it? Zack probably wouldn’t turn him down if he asked, but that was likely because it would benefit the pack. 

He didn’t want Zack to be with him because it would be beneficial - He wanted Zack to be with him because Zack liked him back. He wanted his feelings of whatever-they-were to be returned… Which lead to another issue, namely that he had no idea how to court or flirt with someone. Sure, he knew the theoretical aspects of flirting and courting. He had seen Tifa and Aerith go through it after all, and he had read books about it. Theory and practise were often different though, and Zack was a predator…! What if they had different courting rituals? Different ways of flirting with each other? He wouldn’t know if he didn’t ask, but there was no way _ to _ ask without seeming desperate…!

“Cloud? Hey~? Where did you go? Gaia to Cloudy~” Zack suddenly said, bringing Cloud back with a jolt. 

“Wh-what?”

“You were spacing out somethin’ fierce” Zack pointed out, frowning just a little in his concern. “You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m...I’m good. Don’t worry” Cloud replied, trying to reassure him with a small smile as he rubbed his cheek against Zack’s shoulder. “I was just thinking, you know. Lots of things have happened in a short amount of time and it still feels like I’m living in some kind of dream. I… Keep expecting I’ll wake up in my bed next to Ma”

“I can see why that would happen. You’re not too big, but you’re very sturdy” Zack encouraged him, reaching in to ruffle his muddy hair which earned him a reluctant growl. Not because Cloud didn’t like it when Zack petted him, but rather the opposite. He loved it when Zack touched him affectionately in any form of way, and even now he could feel his heart beating faster in his chest. 

“Just know that if you ever need to talk, I’m right here. Sure, I’m pretty good at talking, but I’m pretty great at listening too. And giving hugs” Zack teased with a little nudge of his elbow. Before Cloud could respond in any way however, Zack leapt ahead and up a nearby cliff. The sudden change in direction surprised Cloud but in the end he caught up with him easily. With a couple of leaps and climbs, they reached a large pool of water. 

“A hot spring…!” Cloud gasped in wonder. Fifteen adults would easily be able to fit in it, and now that the sun was setting it was easier to see the steam that rose up from it. He could smell faint traces of other animals, but mostly he could pick up the scent of his new pack. They had marked the cliff and hot spring quite thoroughly, and though it was a new thing to Cloud it still felt… Comforting. He could smell his alphas and he could smell Zack. That was enough to mean ‘home’ for him for now.

“Yup! Ever used one before?”

“Never…! I used to hunt in the mountains near Nibelheim a couple of times, but we had nothing like this” Cloud told him, eyeing the water with wonder. “I’m used to just bathing in cold rivers when I’m out”

“We have those too, of course. Angeal and Sephiroth like to swim in them quite a bit, but these are made for relaxation” Zack said proudly as he lead Cloud over to the edge. As he stepped in, he let out a brief yelp, which in turn startled Cloud.

“What is it?!”

“Don’t worry, it’s just hotter than I remember” Zack assured him as he stepped further in until the water reached over his hips. He then turned around and offered his hands as support for Cloud when he stepped in. Cloud gladly took the offered help (and if he also just wanted to hold Zack’s hands, that was his business and nobody else’s) and also let out a cry of surprise at the heat. 

“Is it too much?” Zack asked, head tilting to the side with a gentle coo of concern, but Cloud just shook his head. 

“No, it’s fine. I just didn’t expect it. Stupid, I know. You warned me after all…”

“I don’t think it’s stupid. You’ve never been in a spring like this so you didn’t know what to expect. I should have known better though”

“How about we just sit down and relax instead of argue about who’s the most foolish?”

“Splendid idea, dear Cloudy” Zack laughed, slowly sinking down to sit in the water with a pleased sigh. It took a little bit longer for Cloud to properly join him, but once he was sitting down properly as well - he let out a long, pleased rumble. 

“Feels pretty good, doesn’t it?” Zack teased, scooting a little closer as Cloud agreed with a nod. “We’re gonna sleep like pups when we get home”

Cloud hummed again to agree, but the words also made a heavy weight settle in his chest. He didn’t want to talk about it, but he supposed they had to. 

“So… About pups…” he murmured, causing Zack to turn towards him with a curious ‘mrr’. “... You really think I could be pregnant?”

“I mean, it might be too early to say” Zack replied quite calmly, more than able to sense just how tense the smaller male was. “But it’s likely. Omegas are at their most fertile when they’re young and have their first three or four heats. Yours have pent up as you haven’t had them, and I guess it’s kinda very likely that it took. We’ve never had to check Seph’s or Angeal’s fertility, but given their sheer power…”

“It’s likely” Cloud finished the sentence for him. He was quiet for a moment longer, losing himself to his thoughts until Zack nudged him gently again. “Sorry for being so weird about it. It’s just… It sort of changes everything I thought I knew about myself. I figured I would never be able to get a mate, and even if I did I… Well I always liked men and I wouldn’t be able to get a child without some help”

“Because in Prey society, having a cock is what makes you a man?”

“Crudely put, but yeah” Cloud snorted with a reluctant smile. “Learning that I’ve got a womb and a vagina and everything is just… Quite a twist” he murmured, his words trailing off as the smile fell into a frown. 

“... You’re scared,” Zack said, being able to smell enough to make it a statement rather than a question. 

“Of course I am” Cloud growled, turning his gaze away. “I have more organs than I thought I would and I might be pregnant by two men that I don’t know…! Wouldn’t you be scared in a situation like that?”

“I would,” Zack confirmed, sliding closer still to offer some form of comfort by at least being nearby. “There’s no reason to worry though. Angeal is one of the nicest and strongest people I know, and Sephiroth is a sweetheart deep down. He just holds onto this pride and legacy of Jenova’s line and just… Isn’t that good socially”

“That’s all well and good, but the last piece of the pack actively wants me dead” Cloud pointed out. Once again, Zack couldn’t help but sigh and run a hand through his wild hair. 

“See there… There’s sort of a reason behind all that”

“A reason that excuses wishing death on someone?”

“It really isn’t that uncommon in our culture” Zack said with a shrug. “It ain’t fun or glorious, but it’s the reality of it. Sometimes kill-or-be-killed situations rear their ugly heads and most people would prefer to be the one coming out of that alive”

“But this can’t even compare to that” Cloud protested, frowning and trying to understand how Zack could come to that conclusion. Cloud wasn’t an actual threat to Genesis…! Quite the opposite actually. 

“It can and it does,” Zack assured him. “This is really a discussion you two should have on your own, but I doubt that he’ll bring it up himself. He fears that you’ll replace him and that he’ll be kicked out of the pack”

Cloud startled completely at that, turning to Zack with wide eyes. He hadn’t expected that at all…! It was such an idiotic assumption that it just hadn’t occured to him!

“ _ What? _ ”

“Yeah. He fears that now that Seph and Ange have an omega - He won’t be needed as a beta. There’s more to that, but I won’t go around talking about his deeply personal issues” Zack confirmed with a sad smile. 

“But… But that makes no sense? Angeal and Sephiroth don’t even know me yet? They just fucked me when our instincts forced us to? Both of them love him, but I’m a stranger?”

“Yeah, the fears he has are rather irrational” Zack admitted, throwing a casual arm over Cloud’s shoulders. The blond would have reacted if he had done so earlier, but now that he was so deeply confused and concerned about what Zack had told him - He didn’t react at all.    
“Betas are needed in packs as well, and you’ll notice that I don’t panic about being left behind just because a cute omega joined the gang”

“I’m not cute” Cloud protested half-heartedly, still too deep in thought about the whole thing to notice any (blatant) flirtatious moves from Zack.    
“I… Now that I think about it, I don’t even know what the points of the different genders are. Are omegas only good for, like, breeding? Is that going to be what I spend the rest of my life doing? Giving birth to their kids?” he asked, a chill rush of horror going up his spine at the thought. 

“No no no, not at all!” Zack reassured him quickly, ruffling the blond hair in an attempt to calm him down. “Omegas are incredibly rare and valuable because you can give birth and be pregnant, yeah, but you have many other abilities as well. Or well, you will have once you get control over it. Omegas have these phermones that are naturally soothing to all who aren’t omegas. It’s most effective on alphas, but believe me it works on us betas as well. An omega with proper control over their phermones could literally stop wars and battles between clans if they set their mind to it. My ma de-escalated fights more times than I could count back in Gongaga just by standing there”

That was… Certainly better than Cloud had expected. It made him feel less trapped and lost honestly, to know that he wasn’t just a walking incubator.

“So… We have a magical scent trick?”

“I suppose you could say that” Zack hummed with a light chuckle. “Alphas are the strongest of the three, and often brought up to be leaders. That doesn’t mean that they have full and utter control over the rest of us though. There have been many alphas that have been killed by betas because of incompetent leadership or mistreatment. Alphas are physically and mentally stronger, but they’re also weaker to their instincts, as are omegas. Both alphas and omegas are more intensely connected with their instincts and hormones, which can both be a blessing and a curse. You will always be physically weaker than an alpha, but there’s no way for them to deny an omega soothing them or asking for help. In fact, there are many alphas that are scared of omegas because of their abilities”

“What about you betas then? If you don’t have the physical strength or the smell-thing?” Cloud asked curiously. 

“Well, I suppose we are very in-the-middle? We are stronger than omegas but weaker than alphas, while also being more resistant to omega phermones. We have an easier time, generally, to tell our instincts to fuck off for a bit if we need them to. We need to be there in order to keep the calm and peace if instincts ever go haywire” Zack replied, running lazy circles with his thumb along Cloud’s shoulder. “We don’t suffer through ruts or heats, which means we can be there to help care for cubs and for the ones doing the mating… If we aren’t involved ourselves of course”

“I see” Cloud hummed, relaxing more against Zack’s shoulder. A sudden thought occurred to him and he cleared his throat - hoping that the sudden blush on his face could be explained away by the heat of the water.    
“So… Omegas are the only ones able to become pregnant… Are Alphas the only ones able to impregnate?”

“Nah, we can do it too as long as we get to have the omega that’s in heat” Zack replied with an amused chuckle, unable to hold himself back from teasing Cloud. “Why? Want me to sire your next round?”

“-!?  _ You… _ -!! There won’t even  _ be _ a next round…!” Cloud sputtered, shoving at Zack but only managing to make him laugh louder. “Forget that I asked…! I sure won’t come to you the next time I have questions…!” he grumbled, hiding his face behind his face. 

“Aaaw~! Are you blushing, Cloudy?”

“ _ No _ ”

“Come on, let me see! I wanna see your cute, red little face~”

“Would you stop acting like a pup for like _ five seconds _ -!?”

“I’ll stop when you stop liking it”

“Who said I like it?!”

“The beating of your heart and that little smile you try to hide from me~”

“That’s because I like  _ you _ , not your teasing!” Cloud blurted out before he could stop himself. That subtle shiver of fear went through his spine again, and he didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed when Zack just chuckled. He was relieved that Zack hadn’t taken it poorly, but disappointed by the fact that Zack seemed to take it as a joke. 

“Aaaw~! I like you too, Cloudy” Zack purred and nuzzled his neck, before placing several playful pecks on Cloud’s cheek. 

This was bad. This was really bad…! Cloud could feel himself starting to purr, and the urge to bare his neck to Zack was nearly impossible to hold back…! Again, they had made the decision that they would become mates in the future. But that was for necessity - Not because Zack was interested. Cloud hadn’t decided yet whether he would be happy to be a toy as long as he got to be near Zack - He liked to think that he was more independent than that. But fuck, he wanted it…!   
The way Zack was starting to rumble pleasantly told him that he was starting to let out those pleasant hormones, and he nearly panicked. 

He needed a diversion…..

So when Zack leaned in to gently nip at his neck - Cloud splashed him with a huge amount of water. 

Zack spluttered and pulled away, shaking his head to get rid of the water, and Cloud just laughed; hoping that Zack couldn’t hear the nervous tremble in his voice. 

“You little shit-!” Zack growled playfully and splashed Cloud back. This time it was Cloud’s time to yelp and spit out water, but within moments it turned into a full-blown water-fight. They growled and cried out playfully as they chased each other around the pool with the goal of making the other as wet as possible. 

They laughed and laughed - The happy sounds echoing in the night around them. The moon was out now, lighting the pool up with a gentle glow of silver. In the distance they could hear crickets and little animals nesting or moving in the grass. Little dots of fireflies made the night around them sparkle, but still Cloud only had eyes for Zack.    
The night may be more beautiful than any art made by human hands, but none of it could compare to the beauty of Zack’s smile. 

What Cloud didn’t know, of course, was that Zack felt the same way about Cloud. They hadn’t known each other for long, but he was absolutely smitten with the smaller man. He was unbearably cute, but also had a form of ethereal beauty to him that made Zack unable to look away. His cute, spiky hair; his blue eyes, the underlying strength and grace in every move he made; and his freckles made him irresistible. The most beautiful of his features, however, was his smile. Zack wanted to keep doing everything he could in order to see more of it, and he knew that that was a certain way to tell that he was in love. It had happened three times before after all. 

They kept chasing each other, splashing and tugging at hair, until they collapsed against the edge of the pool. Zack ended up sitting with his back to the edge with Cloud straddling his lap, but neither seemed to acknowledge this as they were still howling with laughter. 

As they started to calm down and catch their breaths, they came to the same realization and had two different reactions. Zack was smugly happy with it, while Cloud was mortified and overjoyed at the same time. 

“I-! Sorry, I’ll…! I’ll move off” Cloud murmured, still breathing hard from playing. While he offered to do it however, he made no actual effort to move. 

“Nah, it’s all good. You’re not heavy and I kinda like having you this close” Zack chuckled and pressed little playful kisses on Cloud’s cheeks and the tip of his nose. Cloud just blushed deeper at that, and he squirmed a little as he looked off to the side. His heart was beating hard enough that he feared it was going to burst out of his chest, and with it he could feel his fear rising. He would just get hurt..!  _ He had to stop-!  _ But what if it was worth it?

“Hey, sunshine” Zack murmured, cupping Cloud’s cheek gently and guiding his face so he could look into his eyes properly. “You’re slipping off into your own head again. Are you okay?”

Cloud swallowed hard, his lower lip trembling a little as he glanced down at Zack’s mouth. Somehow he couldn’t look away… And most of him didn’t want to do so either. 

“Yeah, I am. I just… I’m nervous and… And a little embarrassed” he admitted as Zack gently pushed his blond hair away from his eyes. 

“Oh? There’s nothing to be nervous about, Cloudy” Zack chuckled gently, rubbing his cheek gently with his thumb. “I won’t bite unless you ask me to”

It was a joke. Cloud knew that… But fuck, he-!

“... And if I ask you to?” he breathed so quietly that a human would have been unable to hear. 

“Well, then I would be happy to” Zack purred, leaning in to kiss at the spot next to Angeal’s mark, causing Cloud’s breath to catch in his throat. 

“N-not yet…!” Cloud protested, though it was difficult to do so. To Zack’s credit, he pulled away immediately, tilting his head to the side as he observed the man on his lap. 

“Alright. So, what do you want?” Zack asked, still so gentle and affectionate that it was making Cloud’s heart burst. What had he done to deserve the friendship of this beautiful, wonderful man?

“I… I would like to kiss you” Cloud dared to admit, not even bothered when Zack chuckled again. Instead, the sound of it warmed Cloud more than the water around them, and he wanted to hear more. He never wanted Zack to stop smiling. 

“You’ve had your cock in my mouth, but you’re shy about asking for a kiss?” Zack teased gently, wrapping an arm around Cloud’s waist to keep him close. 

“... I suddenly changed my mind” Cloud said, completely deadpan, and Zack laughed again. He rubbed their noses together playfully and even licked the tip of Cloud’s nose in order to make him laugh. Gladly it worked, as it made Cloud chuckle a little and relax in his arms. 

“Of course you can kiss me, silly. You can kiss me whenever you want” Zack promised him with such sincerity that Cloud was unable to hold back anymore. 

He was inexperienced in this and all other things concerning romance, but he tried not to let that show. He wrapped his arms loosely around Zack’s neck and leaned in close enough to press their lips together. Given that he had closed his eyes, he was glad that he didn’t miss, but that thought was as fleeting as his insecurities. 

The kiss started out as something that was downright chaste and honestly a little awkward. Cloud’s mouth was closed a little too tight as he was tense, but Zack pressed back much softer and guided him into something that would feel better. The softer lips coaxed him to relax more, and as they sat there just exchanging kisses - a shiver went up Cloud’s spine again. 

It felt so right…! It felt so good-!

As the kiss grew a little deeper, their teeth clinked together and Zack laughed. Cloud had been on the verge of apologizing, but Zack just kissed him again - without teeth this time. 

They traded kisses for what felt like less than a second and more than an eternity. It was at once overwhelming but also not enough, and Cloud melted completely against Zack. He found that when he ran his fingers through the black mane, Zack let out a happy sigh, and he found that he wanted to do it again. 

When they finally pulled back too soon, they both breathed harder but they smiled nonetheless. Zack’s smile was wild, bright and free, while Cloud’s was happy, warm and a bit shyer than Zack’s. They pressed their foreheads against each other, and Cloud found himself a little surprised that the constant purring that he could hear came from himself. Both of them were hard, but it seemed like neither were inclined to do anything about it.

“Feeling better?” Zack asked gently, his arm going a little tighter around Cloud’s waist. 

“Mhm. A lot better. Thank you”

“It’s not like it was a great pain for me to kiss you, Cloud. I… I liked it quite a lot”

“I did too”

Silence followed, but it was less tense than before. 

“... I want to keep kissing you in the future too, Zack but I… Can I make a request? For now?”

“Sure?”

“Can we kiss when we’re away from the others? When it’s just you and me?”

That surprised Zack, and he pulled back a little with a confused frown. 

“Sure? But why? It’s not like the others would mind?”

“No but I would,” Cloud said firmly. He felt silly, but at the same time it seemed like Zack wouldn’t punish him for being honest. “I am new in the group, I’m trying to find my place, and in Prey society it’s… Well, people don’t have more partners than one. People don’t kiss like this in public, and if they kiss someone they aren’t mated to, it causes a lot of trouble”

Zack frowned deeper at the thought of that. It sounded strange honestly. Why just pair up two-and-two when there was safety in numbers?

“But… you’re not there anymore”

“No, I know that. I’m trying to get used to your ways, but it’s going to take a little time before I’m fully comfortable with it. I’m not saying that it’ll be forever - just for now. Please?”

Zack did still think that it was weird and an uncomfortable way to look at life, but then the thought hit him that _ their _ lifestyle most likely felt the same to Cloud. Zack may be uncomfortable with the thought of Prey society’s norms, but at least he didn’t have to  _ live _ them. Cloud, however, had to adapt to their society’s norms and live them, even though they made him uncomfortable.    
If this was what he had to do to make Cloud feel more at home and safe with them, then it was a small price to pay. 

“Fair enough. Sorry for being so weird about it” Zack said, kissing Cloud gently on the lips again. “We can stick to doing things like this when we’re alone. I promise it’s fine”

Cloud immediately relaxed further in his arms and kissed him again. His scent had changed just a little, and instead of upset omega - Zack could only smell relief and safety coming from him. 

In that moment, Zack made himself a promise. He would protect Cloud against anything and anyone that came his way. He never wanted to smell Cloud’s worries around him again, and he vowed to make sure that Cloud would always -  _ always _ \- smell like this around him.

He would show Cloud that he was safe, and loved, and he couldn’t help but dream about the day that his mark would sit right there next to Angeal’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19


	13. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clashing cultures and relationships can always be difficult to handle. Especially when it comes down to such sensetive matters as death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! I am so sorry that it took such a long time to get this chapter out - I was just sincerely stuck in how to get it going. The second part of the chapter was somewhat easy to write, but it was the 'getting there' part that was difficult! As such, I will go back and proof-read this later, but I wanted to get this out to you as fast as possible. It might get updated later on when I can proof-read it again.
> 
> There is even MORE FANART THAN BEFORE! Two of said art-pieces are my own (can it be called fanart of this work if the author drew them???), and the others are by Kanna Productions. Links will be in the end notes!
> 
> So there are quite a lot of trigger warnings for this chapter. Some of the lore and traditions, especially on the predator side of things, are quite morbid and could EASILY be considered disturbing. 
> 
> So trigger warnings for this chapters are: Death mentions, talks about death, cannibalism, discussions of gore, imagined body horror.

The walk back to the den was rather uneventful. They joked and teased each other as usual, only now they also snuck in a couple of kisses here and there. Cloud found that he wanted to hold Zack’s hand, but he held back for several reasons. It felt too intimate - Too much of a ‘couple’ thing - and he wasn’t sure if that was a thing predators did. He didn’t think it would be offensive, per se, but he was quickly realizing that one of the biggest problems with being from vastly different cultures was that something that he did with a certain intention behind it, might not be received in the way he intended. Oral sex was apparently something they could do as friends, so why would holding hands  _ mean _ something to Zack the way it would to Cloud?

In the end, Cloud decided against it and they simply enjoyed each other’s company. It had been a rather long day for them, and both were relaxed after their hot bath. That was the only reason they didn’t chase each other or even try to play. They just really wanted to go home, have some dinner, and then sleep. 

Once they reached the den, Zack lead the way up - making sure to show Cloud all the best places to put his feet in order to stay steady. They could both smell dinner on the other side of the barrier, and Zack once again took the lead to guide Cloud through. He didn’t need it, but it was sweet of Zack to constantly think of him and his comfort.

“We’re back!” Zack called out to their pack the moment they stepped through, heading towards the ‘dining room’ where the scent of dinner was the strongest. Cloud followed him there as well, just walking a step behind him. 

“Welcome home” Angeal greeted them with a bright smile. Genesis simply let out a chirp in greeting from his usual spot on Angeal’s shoulders and Sephiroth blinked slowly at them - A very feline sign of affection. 

“Both of you are clean then. I’m impressed, Zack - I would have thought the piles of leaves would have been too much of a temptation for you” he teased with a tone that was somehow deadpan and loving at the same time. 

“Very funny. Just because I’m not a neat-freak like you doesn’t mean I don’t know how to care for myself” Zack chuckled and went over to him so he could greet him with a proper kiss. “Besides, you like it when I’m a little filthy and rugged”

“How dare you” Sephiroth replied with a grin, kissing Zack’s cheek with a playful purr. Angeal ignored them in favour of welcoming Cloud home, wrapping his arms around him in a sweet hug, which made Cloud tense up briefly. He wasn’t used to the contact and it brought Genesis within biting-range, but when it became clear that Genesis wouldn’t try to bite him, he allowed himself to relax and return the hug. 

He didn’t know Angeal that well, of course, but he already smelled like home. He was warm, strong, large and smelled pleasantly of cardamom and cinnamon. He briefly wondered what he smelled like to the alphas, but decided that it wasn’t really important right now, and nuzzled into the embrace with a little purr. Once it became clear that Cloud accepted the hug, and seemed to relax, Angeal let out a soft purr of his own. 

“Did you enjoy the bath?” Angeal asked, once he had properly scented Cloud by rubbing his jaw on the top of his head in a greeting. Cloud wanted to return the gesture but couldn’t really reach (and also Genesis was in the way), so as a compromise he rubbed his own jaw against Angeal’s bicep. 

“Sure did. I’ve only ever used cold rivers when I’ve been out hunting, so being able to take a hot bath outdoors was quite a new experience” Cloud admitted. He had been on the verge of admitting to the kiss, when he heard Zack say something that made a cold jolt of horror run down his spine. 

“You got rid of the bones from this morning? Man, what a waste! You know shifter bones are too good to waste”

Sephiroth said something in a reply, and Angeal tried to get Cloud’s attention, but Cloud couldn’t hear any of them. Everything became foggy as that cold jolt of dread and horror spread through every fibre of his being. 

“Zack… What do you mean ‘shifter bones’? From this morning?” he asked, suddenly smelling so strongly of distress that it made Angeal and Sephiroth visibly jittery and anxious. Sephiroth came closer to him, lead by the instincts to soothe, while Angeal reached out to try to put a comforting hand on Cloud’s shoulder. When Cloud jerked away from his touch however, he reacted as though he had been slapped and staggered back. The confusion about what had happened so suddenly just made the rejection worse. The two alphas glanced at each other before turning their attention back to the distressed omega.Nothing good would come from panicking before they even knew why their mate was so distraught.

While he wasn’t an alpha, Zack could still pick up on the distress that Cloud was emitting, and he frowned with concern. 

“I… the moose we ate this morning? I was just saying that it was a waste to get rid of the bones because they can be used for so many things and-”

“Are you telling me that the moose we had for breakfast was a  _ shifter _ …!?”

“Yes?”

The way he said it so casually made Cloud sick to his stomach. More sick than he already was. As if that simple confirmation hadn’t been enough to completely shatter whatever comfort Cloud had found in the pack. 

Before that simple confirmation - That one word - He had seen them as different but still gentle. Cultures were bound to clash, compromises would have to be made, discussions would have to be had…. But would that include  _ cannibalism _ ?! How could they just talk about such a thing as though it was the most normal thing in the world?    
Suddenly the jokes from earlier, about how children tasted worse than adults and preferences of age in ‘prey’, didn’t seem like jokes anymore. 

“Cloud?” Zack asked, seemingly terribly concerned as he too tried to step closer to the clearly panicking omega. Sephiroth and Angeal looked like they were almost in pain from being unable to touch and comfort him, but Genesis simply watched the situation play out in front of him silently. He had his suspicions about what was going on, but he couldn’t be certain, so he stayed silent.

  
“Cloud, what’s wrong?” Zack asked again, seeing as Cloud didn’t immediately react. 

“You… I…. You didn’t tell me that you-that we-...! A  _ shifter _ …!?” Cloud snarled, his terror and heartache turning into fury in an attempt to protect himself. 

“I didn’t think it mattered” Zack protested, glancing desperately at his mates. “Why does it matter?”

“Why does it-!? It’s cannibalism, Zack! It’s…! It’s disgusting and monstrous-!”

“Why?” Zack asked, truly baffled. “We’ve talked about this before, haven’t we? Death is a natural part of life…. I told you that we eat them and they eat us-”

“But you’re wrong…!!! Humans eat animals but not shifters!”

“We’re not human. Besides, what’s the difference between an animal and us? Or a human for that matter?” Zack asked brashly, growing increasingly confused with what Cloud was saying. “He was trespassing and our pack needed food. Would you rather just have had me leave his body there to waste?”

“Yes! Or at least dig a grave for him!” Cloud snarled. To his surprise, those words seemed incredibly offensive to the pack. They all jerked back with disgusted noises - Even Sephiroth allowed himself to frown. 

“Are you serious right now? You would have had me just…!? And you accuse  _ me _ of being barbaric!” Zack snarled in return, looking straight up green in the face. There were a lot of things he could forgive and excuse based on the differences in their upbringing, but he wouldn’t stand for being insulted like that.

“Yes! Because you- You’re all just- How can you act like I’m in the wrong here!?” Cloud snarled, turning around and running out of the room as well as the den. He didn’t run too far, just enough to be out of the cave with it’s suffocating scents. He dry-heaved against a nearby tree, as if trying to get his ‘breakfast’ back out though his stomach was empty. 

More than anything, he just felt stupid and disappointed in himself. Zack had been right - They had been open and honest since the beginning. They had called humans and herbivores alike ‘prey’. They talked about death as if it was no big deal, and it was only Cloud’s own bias that made him certain that they wouldn’t actually eat their own kind. Humans may be omnivores, but they would never eat other humans…!!! Not even herbivore shifters!

_ What’s the difference between an animal and us? _

Cloud hated that he didn’t have a good answer to that question. He hated that everything that he had taken for granted had just been thrown in his face, and he’d been treated like he was in the wrong, even when they defended one of the most disgusting crimes of human society!

He didn’t understand, and even though he wanted to, it was difficult. He thought back to the many furs and decorations in the home with this new information, and the mere thought of them caused him to dry-heave again. How many of those furs came from shifters? How many of the bones? Had he literally been having sex on a bed made from shifter-skin? 

He staggered further away from the den and collapsed against the trunk once his trembling legs didn’t have the energy to support his weight anymore. Memories he had long since pushed aside kept prodding at him intrusively and he was helpless to stop them.

-

_ The children were gathered up around the open fire in the library - None older than 5 years old - and listened to one of the elderly women of the village.  _

_ “They hide in the forests, they do. Larger than houses, with teeth like swords and claws like knives” she said, completely capturing the attention of the little ones by making the shadows dance along the walls. “They lay in wait for tasty, juicy little children to come wandering into the darkness. They can hear a child’s heartbeat from miles away -  _ thu-thump thu-thump _ \- and before you know it…  _ RARGH _!” she cried out, letting out a fake roar that caused the children to shriek in both fear and delight. _

_ “Remember that the next time you’re tempted to head into the woods alone, my little ones. Beware, or the wolf might come and gobble you up!” _

_ The memory shifted forward to three years later when some of the village's largest kids had Cloud cornered up against a wall in an alleyway. He had a black eye, his lip was split and bleeding, and still he refused to cry.  _

_ “We should pull out those sharp teeth of yours, predator” one of the boys taunted, tapping the stick in his hand against his foot. “You don’t belong here. On your knees like the dog you are. Unless you want us to tell the adults that the child that was taken last week was taken by you?” _

_ “Leave me alone…! You know it wasn’t! I was in school-” _

_ “Sure I do, but the adults don’t know that. On your knees, mutt” _

-

“Cloud?”

The scent of cardamom and cinnamon brought him back to the present, and he startled as he looked up at the two alphas that were cautiously approaching him. He hadn’t noticed Sephiroth’s scent at first - The vanilla and honey hiding behind Angeal’s warm spices. 

He wiped his tears from his cheeks, not having realized that they were even there until now. The alphas came closer, but neither got close enough to actually touch him, nor did they sit down with him even though they clearly longed to. 

“May we join you? We’re worried” Sephiroth asked, surprising Cloud who had just expected them to take their place beside him whether he wanted them to or not.    
The fact that they had asked rather than demanded it helped, but he was still conflicted. 

He was terrified of being alone, their presence was calming to him on an instinctual level, and he supposed they had to talk about whatever had happened. That didn’t make it any easier though. He was still scared of them to some extent, as well as disgusted by the thought of them eating shifters and decorating their home in their remains. Still, he supposed he was more afraid of being alone than he was of being near them so...

“Yeah… Sure” Cloud murmured, and only then did they actually sit down with him. Sephiroth sat to his right, while Angeal sat down to his left. Neither touched him, but he had to admit that having them close was… Soothing. 

Angeal and Sephiroth glanced at each other over Cloud’s head, even as their omega kept his gaze fixed on the forest floor. 

“We would like to talk about what happened back there” Sephiroth said, so blunt and to the point that it startled Cloud. He glanced up at the silver-haired male with an uncertain frown with his head tilted lightly to the side. 

“...I suppose we should… But I don’t know where to even start” Cloud admitted reluctantly with a sigh. 

“I think the problem comes down to how prey society and predator society deal with death. What do prey do with those that die?” Sephiroth asked, so forward and blunt that Angeal frowned and let out a small growl. 

“Isn’t that a little too blunt? We could work up to that question”

“I don’t see a reason to do so seeing as it’s clearly the heart of the problem, so to speak”

“You really need to work on your jokes, Seph”

While Cloud wasn’t certain about what the joke Sephiroth had tried to make was, he supposed there was some merit to it. It was harsh, might get hard to talk about, but it was seemingly what the issue was about. 

“I don’t mind - Sephiroth is right.” he told them with a sigh. “When someone dies, we take our time to mourn with those close to us. We clean them up, put them in their finest clothes, and then… Well, we have a ceremony where everyone gets to cry together. The priests ask Gaia to take good care of our loved ones, and then we return them to the planet by burying them in her earth. Occasionally people wish to be burned instead, and their ashes are given back to the planet by being strewn out on grass and fields”

As he told them of this, Angeal looked vaguely nauseated, but in the end both of them nodded in understanding. 

“When phrased that way I suppose I understand why our ways were so disturbing to you” Angeal sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “It makes me severely uncomfortable, but… I suppose I get it”

“I agree. In my eyes it seems completely respectless to just bury the body of a loved one… but then again, it’s not like herbivores could follow our rites” Sephiroth agreed with a nod.

“No I suppose you’re right”

Cloud simply glanced up at the two of them for that, unease settling in his chest. He feared that he knew where the discussion was going, but there was no way to be sure. 

“... What rites do you have?”

“Well, part of it is like yours. We gather with those we love and we mourn the life that was lost” Angeal told him, leaning back against the trunk of the tree as well but turning his gaze up to look at the stars. “However, we don’t return them to Gaia and the lifestream like you do. Not if we can help it”

“... You eat them” Cloud stated - It wasn’t a question, but Sephiroth still nodded. 

“Yes”

“But why? It seems so… so monstrous…! Treating a loved one’s body with anything but care seems… Disturbing to me” Cloud argued with a frown. 

“I don’t see why” Sephiroth said with a shrug. “The lifestream goes through every part of us. When we are alive, we help and nourish ourselves as well as those we love. When we die, we nourish those we leave behind. The life in our beloveds keeps on going inside us when we take part of their flesh. With every generation, the life inside us grows stronger, because we have more people that love us that fuel us through whatever hardships we have to face.”

_ ‘Well.. That was surprisingly poetic and morbid at the same time’ _ Cloud thought, biting his lower lip. In a way he supposed it made sense with their way of life - The strongest would survive. Humans and herbivores fought for their existence in a very different way that didn’t necessarily rely on individual physical power. 

“Death is a common but serious thing, Cloud” Angeal added, daring to lean close enough to have their shoulders touch. “I understand that we must sound ignorant or uncaring when we talk about it, but it’s all brought out of necessity. We could indeed have just buried that moose shifter after we killed him for being in our territory, but that would be a waste. Life is sacred, and to simply leave it would mean that that life was wasted. This way, it was used to nourish a family - a pack. His life was forfeit either way, and now that sacrifice was honored by sustaining our lives, just like we will one day nourish those who love us”

Cloud nodded, taking in the information with an attempt at an open mind. It would be beyond difficult to get past his bias and the intense gut-feeling of how wrong it was, but he could see the logic behind both ways of life… Or death, rather. 

“I… Think I get it. I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat shifter meat for now though” he sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. “There are certain animals that I already refuse to eat because of my pa- my previous pack” he corrected himself. “I won’t shame you for still doing it, but I don’t think I can join you for now.”

“That’s fair. I don’t think either of us would be comfortable with burying our families either, even if we are able to see the logic” Sephiroth conceded. “I am curious about which animals you refuse to eat however. It will be good to know in case I’m ever on hunting duty”

“Any form of rabbit, horse or badger” Cloud said firmly, earning himself an amused grin by Angeal. 

“Rabbit? Truly? A rabbit dared to get close to a wolf?”

“Yeah, Zack said the same thing” Cloud huffed with a little grin. “Aerith is… She’s fiery, passionate and fearless”

“Obviously” Angeal chuckled with a soft smile. 

“Are they still alive then?” Sephiroth asked, also moving close enough that their thighs were touching. 

“I think so. Or well I hope so” Cloud said with a wince. “They tried to defend me when mom and I were chased out, but they shouldn’t have been hurt. I would love for you all to meet some day honestly, though they would be surprised to see me like this” he chuckled softly. 

“And we would have loved to meet them as well” Angeal assured him, as Sephiroth agreed with a hum. 

“Yes, it would be beneficial to learn more things about you from those who’ve known you the longest”

“You know you could just ask” 

“Hush, Angeal, You know it’s not the same thing”

Cloud could feel himself relax more and more against them. It felt… It felt good to talk like this. To sort out their misunderstandings. It would still take time, naturally, but he would rather have an explanation than wonder why. 

Suddenly a thought hit him, and he looked up at Angeal. 

“Wait, when I told you all about what happened to my Ma - you said something to comfort me. What was it?”

“May her love nourish you?”

“Yeah - That. Is that what you meant?”

“It is” Angeal confirmed with a nod. “It is a phrase commonly used for condolences about dead loved ones. I didn’t think too much about it at the time - it’s a reflex by now to say that particular blessing whenever death is brought down on someone close” he admitted. 

“So, just to be clear. According to predator tradition, I would have…. I… I would have eaten my mother when she passed away?” Cloud asked carefully, trying to keep his nausea at bay. It sounded disgusting in so many ways and he wasn’t sure what to do with that information. 

“Traditionally, the eldest child gets the source of the parent’s life - Their heart” Angeal confirmed. “I got my father’s heart while my brother got our mother’s. Sephiroth was given Jenova’s heart as none of her immediate children were still alive to have it. The rest of her was shared with the clan”

“I have her coat as well” Sephiroth confirmed with warm pride in his voice, which still seemed absurd to Cloud. Just the thought of doing such a thing with his own mother was…  _ abhorrent _ …! 

“I understand that it’s disturbing to you, Cloud, and you’re strong for talking about something like this with us” Angeal said sincerely, wrapping an arm around Cloud to bring him into a hug. A hug that was rather eagerly accepted.    
“To us, not getting to give a loved one that last respect is… It’s horrifying. A child being denied their parent’s heart is one of the most tragic things that can happen to a predator. You don’t have to relate to that, but know that it is a concern that we’ve all had for you since you shared your story with us. No child should have to go on without the warmth of their parent”

Sephiroth nodded and pressed into the hug as well, wrapping his arms around Cloud from the side. Completely enveloped by his alphas, surrounded by their comforting smells - Cloud started to relax again. He even started purring as more tension left his body, and both of the alphas purred back at him lovingly. 

“... This whole clashing cultures thing is going to be harder than I thought, huh…” he murmured, enjoying the different pitches of their purrs and how they mingled. 

“It will. For all of us… Zack is worried as well” Angeal admitted, scenting the top of Cloud’s head again. 

“I’ll have to talk to him” Cloud sighed. “And then I’ll talk to Genesis”

“You will?” Angeal asked, stopping the scenting and purring in surprise. 

“Yes. I… Despite all this, I want this to work. I want to be with you, I want to belong in the pack, and in order to do that - Genesis and I have to talk this shit out” Cloud stated firmly in a way that made a small part of Sephiroth flare with pride. 

It would take time. It would be uncomfortable to keep learning and getting used to the many ways in which their cultures differed, but as long as they all actually wanted to make it - it would be fine. 

He could only hope that Zack and Genesis would be open to it as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19  
> Wonderful depiction of Genesis and Cloud being little shits in chapter 4: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1289959685366439943?cxt=HHwWhICoxaTj7eYjAAAA
> 
> My own cute lil piece of just... The boys being beans in a pile: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291388469936369665?cxt=HHwWgsC9mZW-9-sjAAAA
> 
> A portrait of how Zack looks in this particular fic: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291366873167212547?cxt=HHwWhsC13YjV7esjAAAA


	14. Loveless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talks are had, feelings are shared, and the life of the pack ends it's first chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! 
> 
> No intense warnings for this one, but there IS some slight groping near the end that is a bit dub-con. It's done to make someone uncomfortable, but it doesn't quite work.
> 
> Nontheless, this is where the first part of the story ends! The 'getting together well enough' part that is. From now on, there will be some more time-skips, more family planning and smut that couldn't be here until some conversations were had. 
> 
> Thank you for the continued support! Links to art is in the end notes again!

When Cloud finally found Zack, he wasn’t inside the den where he had left him. Instead, Zack sat on a little outcropping on the mountain pretty far up. It reminded Cloud of the balconies back home in Nibelheim, and a little jolt of melancholy shot through his heart very briefly. It was difficult to reach on foot, so Cloud used his paws instead, but only to get up. Once he reached the little ‘balcony’, he shifted back into his human form and paused - Taking in the look of the other male. 

Zack sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, his chin resting on them as he gazed up at the moon. The long, rough mane of dark hair shifted in the breeze and revealed Zack’s muscular back to Cloud. He hadn’t thought about it before, but there were many many scars littered all over it. Marks clearly left by teeth, claws and other sharp objects. A few even looked like marks from arrows or swords, which made Cloud feel even more sick. He had shamed him, made him feel like an animal - a monster - and these marks just showed that he had truly been hunted as though he was one in the past. 

It made Cloud want to kill every single person who had left a scar on Zack without his consent, and though he was startled by that protective rage - he wasn’t ashamed of it.

Cloud knew that Zack could tell that he was there, but neither of them seemed keen on trying to speak yet. Cloud honestly didn’t know what to say, or rather how to say it. He wasn’t sorry about his feelings, but he did regret that his outburst had ended up actually hurting Zack and the others. Verbal wounds could hurt much worse than physical ones after all, and he hated that he had accidentally left his own unpleasant scar on Zack. He knew what he felt, but putting it into words was a lot more difficult. 

“Come to say goodbye?” Zack suddenly asked, not turning to look at Cloud but keeping his gaze on the moon. Cloud frowned at that, quite honestly a little taken aback by what the other had just said. 

“What?”

“Goodbye? You know, what one says before one leaves” Zack replied, an uncertain smile on his lips. 

“... I know that, but I’m not leaving” Cloud said carefully, blushing faintly when Zack finally turned to look at him with wide, surprised eyes. 

“You’re not?!”

“No! I… I had to gather my thoughts and stuff, that’s all” Cloud assured him, taking some uncertain steps towards the other. “Why would I leave?”

“Well, why wouldn’t you?” Zack grumbled, turning his gaze back to the moon as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You didn’t want to be with us in the first place, and even if you like me and the others, I kinda figured it wouldn’t be enough to keep you here after that. I’m so sorry for lashing out…-”

“No! No, I should be the one apologizing!” Cloud stopped him quickly, sitting down right next to him. When Zack didn’t respond with anything but a confused frown, Cloud was quick to elaborate. “I mean, I…! I’m sorry that I hurt you. I was shocked and scared, and more than a little disgusted, but that was on me. I didn’t mean to hurt you but I know I did. Angeal and Sephiroth talked about it with me - Explained some stuff”

“Yeah, Gen did the same with me. Or well, theories he had at least” Zack admitted, blushing just a little himself. “I still don’t think you have to apologize though. You can’t help how you were brought up any more than I can. There just happen to be four of us and one of you”

“Well, I don’t think you should apologize either. You tried to help me and take care of me. You’ve saved my life so many times now, and all I’ve done is whine” Cloud sighed, averting his gaze. 

“That isn’t true. You’ve helped and you’ve been open-minded to our way of life more than we have been to you. And you make me laugh a lot”

“You laugh all the time as it is”

“Well maybe I don’t laugh as much when you’re not around. It’s not like you would ever know” Zack pointed out with a grin, nudging him gently with his elbow. It made Cloud blush a little deeper, and he tried to hold back his smile. Even despite what had happened earlier, he still got butterflies whenever Zack said something nice to him or complimented him. 

“I don’t believe that for a second”

“Believe whatever you want, it’s the truth~”

Now it was Cloud’s turn to nudge Zack with his elbow, and the two chuckled softly as the air between them seemed to grow less tight. When silence settled between them, it no longer felt suffocating, but rather… warm. 

“Hey Cloud” Zack suddenly said, once again keeping his gaze on the moon. 

“Hm?”

“I’m glad that you decided to stay,” Zack said, smiling brighter as he turned to look at Cloud properly. “I was really afraid that I’d lost you. We haven’t been friends for long, but it already feels like you belong in my life, you know? I was afraid I’d lose the part of my heart that’s dedicated to you now. So what I guess I want to say is thank you”

Cloud’s eyes widened in shock at those words, not even able to feel embarrassed about the blush that most certainly reached his chest by now. Zack sounded so sincere…! Those words were… What could one even say to that?!   
What Cloud wanted to say was that he felt the same way. That he had only known Zack for a week, but that losing him would be like losing a part of himself. He wanted to say that Zack could have asked him for a star and Cloud would spend the rest of his life finding a way to grant that wish. That he would go through any hardship, beat down every part of what he knew before as long as it meant that he could be with Zack and have him return his feelings.

“Uh, yeah. Sure. Uhm… No problem. You too” was what he eloquently went with instead, and he mentally kicked himself for that. It seemed to do the trick still and Zack laughed, reaching over to ruffle his hair. 

“Too much?”

“N-no, I just…! I thought Genesis was the one who liked poetry and stuff” Cloud tried, doing what he could to push down his blush. 

“You aren't wrong there, but I guess I’ve heard him talk about it enough to pick up a thing or two” Zack teased him, moving close enough that their legs and shoulders touched. 

“... Speaking of which, I need to talk to him before we go to bed tonight” Cloud hummed, causing Zack to let out a curious huff. “Need to try to come to some form of understanding and… Well, a truce I guess”

“Can’t it wait ‘til tomorrow?”

“Nah. I mean, we all sleep in the same bed, don’t we? I wouldn’t want him to stay away just because I’m there and stuff. I’m really  _ really _ tired, but I don’t think my guilt will let me sleep until I’ve at least tried to talk to him”

“There’s nothing you need to feel guilty about, Cloud” Zack told him softly, a happy fluttering in his chest at how much Cloud seemed to care despite claiming not to. “Your existence isn’t something to apologize for”

“No, but I haven’t really been understanding of him either. I didn’t think of how you or Genesis would see the whole mating-thing” he admitted, running his hand through his hair in frustration - Showing that he was already starting to copy some of Zack’s mannerisms.    
“I was busy thinking about myself, Seph and Ang because we’re like, directly involved. You didn’t seem too bothered so I guess I assumed it was fine enough”

“We’re directly involved too, seeing as we literally share two mates with you. Not to say you should feel guilty - you shouldn’t. As for me, it’s fine. I don’t like that all three of you were forced into it, but I don’t mind having you in our pack. Part of my heart and all that”

“Yeah, I guess” Cloud murmured. “Still, do you have any advice for me? Like, how could I build a bridge between us?”

“Well, try talking to him about his books and prey-stuff” Zack suggested without hesitation. 

“ _ ‘Prey stuff’ _ ?”

“Yeah, little trinkets and stuff in his room. I would give you examples, but I have no idea what most of the things are. We don’t really deal with machinery or metal and stuff”

“Huh… I think I could do that”

\--- 

Once Cloud managed to find Genesis’ ‘room’, he stopped just outside to gather his thoughts again. There had been so much happening that day, and it was difficult to stay awake, or at least to be as sharp as he wanted to be. It wasn’t the best conditions for what he had to do, but he didn’t feel like he had a choice.

“You gonna stand out there all night or are you gonna come in?” Genesis suddenly called from the inside, startling Cloud enough to make him take a step inside. 

  
The first thing that hit him was just how cozy the room was even despite the clutter. When Zack had said ‘stuff’, it turns out he really meant it. Cloud could see several backpacks and an assortment of bags neatly sorted in one corner, on the shelves he could see a collection of different travelers’ trinkets such as tinder boxes and mess kits. He could count at least six binoculars and three magnifying glasses, an impressive collection of lockpicks, a compass and at least four sextants. All this still didn’t include the many books, cloaks and waterskins that were strewn about in the little cave, and Cloud was taken aback by it all. Some books were ones that he recognized, but there were plenty that had titles in a language that he had never seen before. 

Once his gaze finally turned to Genesis, it seemed like the fox had kept his eyes fixed on him without pause since he came in, and Cloud almost shied away at the thought of having been caught gawking like a pup. He had been invited however, and if everything went according to plan - Genesis would get to see him in more compromising situations than that, so Cloud pushed his embarrassment aside. 

“... Thank you for inviting me”

“‘Invite’?” Genesis replied with a downright predatory grin. “I can’t recall having ever invited you to any part of my life, pup”

“Yet here I am. Invitation or no, that’s just our reality now and we have to talk about it” Cloud huffed, glaring at the other male. Seemed like Genesis didn’t feel like just skirting around the elephant in the room, so Cloud found no reason to either.

“Do we now?” Genesis huffed in return, the grin growing more strained as he sat up, making sure to casually spread his legs as he lounged just to make Cloud uncomfortable. He didn’t like having the omega in his room, so if  _ he _ had to be uncomfortable, then Cloud did too.

“Yes” Cloud said, his gaze flickering down to Genesis’ cock for a brief moment before going back up to look him in the eyes. Yes, it was obscene in a way, but he was growing accustomed to the pack being naked and he would  _ not _ shy away from this.   
“We didn’t get along before we got here, and since my heat you have seemingly actively wanted me dead or gone in other ways”

“Picked up on that did you?”

“You can be a smartass if you want to, but you’ll end up hurting the others if we don’t get along. We need to at least be able to be in the same room without fighting, and I know you know this. You may act stubborn and thick-headed but I know you’re not dumb”

Genesis completely dropped the grin at that and full on glared at the smaller male with a growl. He had decided that he hated the little blond, and it was just made worse by the fact that he was  _ right _ . 

“Let’s say you’re right... No matter what, the tension within you won’t disappear even if we manage to play nice. You don’t belong here, you don’t belong with predators, and the display from earlier today just proves that further” Genesis argued, mainly for the sake of arguing. 

“I don’t belong with them either” Cloud snarled, trying his best to keep his temper at bay even though Genesis’ words cut a little too sharply into him. “I spent my whole life hiding and lying to everyone around me in order to survive. With you, I will still have to fight for my right to survive, but I don’t have to hide or lie about who I am in order to do so. I have to say that I vastly prefer the second option”

“Yes yes, that’s very poetic of you” Genesis snarled as he stood up and approached Cloud. “You can stay here, you can get along with everyone, you can carry their cubs and pop out little puppies every other year for all I care. You could be the best little mutt, always on your best behaviour, and I would  _ still _ hate you for what you did to the men I love”

The last words were nearly spat out, so much venom in them that it honestly shocked Cloud into silence again. He didn’t back away, even when Genesis got uncomfortably close, because underneath the sharp ginger of Genesis’ scent he could pick up something else. 

Something sour…

**Fear.**

Genesis smelled so sharply of fear that Cloud had to resist covering his nose. Despite the growling and the faintly glowing eyes, the only thing Cloud could see was fear; and it was in that moment that it all _ truly _ hit Cloud. 

Genesis was _scared_ _of him_. His actions weren’t those of a predator toying with its prey, but rather the actions of a cornered animal lashing out and doing everything in its power not to die. He was acting like a cornered animal, clinging onto life with snarls and growls, and Cloud found that he couldn’t be angry with him anymore.   
His shoulders sunk somewhat as he relaxed, and he tried to make himself less imposing and standoffish. 

“Listen” Cloud finally said, as carefully as he possibly could without sounding patronizing. Judging by how Genesis tensed up it seemed like he failed, but he still kept going. “This is new to all of us. I’m sorry that I caused such a rift, I’m sorry that I hurt you all, and I’m sorry for what my body did to the two of them. Believe me, if I could go back in time and redo it, I would do so. I would split up from you before we even reached your territory and just kept going on my own in any direction. Family is very important to me, and I am truly sorry that I accidentally ruined yours”

That seemed to take Genesis by surprise. He hadn’t expected to be treated as if he was right…! Hells, he had even pushed and provoked to make sure that the little wolf wouldn’t be able to agree and be all gentle like this. 

“... So leave” he tried, but Cloud shook his head. 

“You know even better than I do that me leaving would hurt the rest of them by now. Even if they would get over losing  _ me _ , do you think they could be happy knowing that they would have potential children out in the world somewhere?” he asked, bracing himself against the fury he knew it would ignite inside Genesis. For once, he was right. 

Genesis’ eyes lit up brightly, his otherwise fair facial features twisting into something bestial as he pushed Cloud up against his wall harshly. Cloud squirmed and growled instinctively but did his best to hold it back, even as Genesis pressed close enough that he could feel his warm breath against his cheek. 

“You’ve got some nerve talking about them like you know them, you little  _ whore _ ” Genesis growled, even as the smell of his fear increased. “You know nothing of us - of our struggles! You don’t know what those cubs will do to us - To  _ them _ …-”

“To  _ you _ , you mean” Cloud pressed on, truly pushing his luck now. “You’re afraid of what my potential children will do to  _ you _ -” he said, though his last word was cut off as Genesis slapped him harshly. 

“How  _ dare _ you!?” Genesis snarled, fangs bared and ears pressed back flat against the sides of his head in his fury. “How dare you imply that I only care about my own well-being!? That I wouldn’t give  _ anything _ to keep them happy-!?”

“I know you would, otherwise I wouldn’t be alive right now” Cloud pointed out, rubbing his now-sore cheek. It was difficult to stay calm in the face of such fury and terror, but he did his best. “Despite your hate for me, you let me live, and you let me live here with you. I don’t doubt for a second that they would choose you over me if you truly pressed them for it. My point was that you don’t have to be afraid”

“I’m not  _ afraid _ -!” Genesis tried to argue but he was cut off as Cloud shook his head. 

“I can smell it, you know. Even if I couldn’t, Zack sort of implied that you were” Cloud admitted, looking straight into Genesis shocked eyes. “Whether we like it or not, it would make the others happier to have us both here. It would make them even happier still if we got along somewhat. You don’t have to like me, just tolerate me”

“I already am”

“Barely”

“So what more do you expect me to do? Get on my knees for you? Smile and laugh whenever you enter a room? Suck your cock?” Genesis snarled, reaching down to press his palm against Cloud’s cock. Cloud was unable to hold back a gasp, but shook his head even despite that. Genesis was clearly trying to be obscene - trying to make him uncomfortable enough that he would leave - but he wouldn’t have it. Not now that he knew that it was brought on by fear as a survival instinct. 

“You don’t have to do anything like that if you don’t want to” Cloud struggled to say as evenly as possible. “But I thought we could start by reading”

Genesis truly didn’t know what to do with that. He tried to provoke, to insult, to grope, and still the shitty little omega suggested that they sit down and read?! Sure, that had been one of the things Zack had used as an argument for why Cloud should come with them, but Genesis had honestly nearly forgotten. 

“I owe you” Cloud went on, still using gentle tones as he spoke but he still took Genesis completely by surprise. 

“What are you talking about?” Genesis laughed. He went for haughty but it came out as insecure. “You know I hate you”

“Yes, but you still healed me. You even told Zack about why I reacted like I did earlier” Cloud pressed on. “That helped me a lot. I don’t like you either, not even a little. But they love you, and I want them to be happy. I want us to be able to at least be in the same bed at night for their sake. You want them to be happy too, don’t you?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then play along. Read with me, talk to me, get to know me” Cloud said, looking straight into Genesis’ eyes without an ounce of fear or uncertainty. “Instead of seeing it as me trying to worm my way in between you, try to see it as me atoning for what I did to them by keeping them happy.”

Damn it…! Damn it all to the void and back-! The blond little fuck had a point, and Genesis couldn’t find a way to argue with Cloud’s logic. It made too much sense, and it made him back away from Cloud with a frustrated snarl. 

“Fine! Fine. We’ll do it your way, you absolute fucking homewrecker” he snarled without heat and slumped down on his bed. Cloud carefully approached and sat down next to him, reaching out for the first ‘prey’ book he could see. 

“So you can’t read human language at all, right?” Cloud asked, turning the book over in his hands as he tried to act casual. 

“No. Can you read predator language?”

“Not even a little” Cloud admitted easily. “How about I read you a chapter from this, and you read a predator chapter for me tomorrow?”

“Fine. What’s the name of the book you’ll read me today then?”

“'Loveless'”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19  
> Wonderful depiction of Genesis and Cloud being little shits in chapter 4: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1289959685366439943?cxt=HHwWhICoxaTj7eYjAAAA
> 
> My own cute lil piece of just... The boys being beans in a pile: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291388469936369665?cxt=HHwWgsC9mZW-9-sjAAAA
> 
> A portrait of how Zack looks in this particular fic: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291366873167212547?cxt=HHwWhsC13YjV7esjAAAA


	15. New life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and the others come to a very important realization and it triggers a 'minor' existential crisis that's soothed by a most unexpected individual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm so sorry that it's been so long! Real Life happened, and I sincerely couldn't tell how many days were passing by without a new chapter from me. Thank you so much for your continued support though! All the comments, kudos and hits just blow my mind honestly! It makes me so utterly and truly happy! 
> 
> Some content warnings in this chapter: Discussions of pregnancy and 'body dysphoria' related to it. 
> 
> Also smut at the end of the chapter~ it starts with kisses, so if you want to skip it - stop reading at that! 
> 
> Thank you again! Art links will be at the bottom as usual

A month went by for the little pack and they were slowly but surely settling into a routine. Cloud did his best to spend an equal amount of time with the different men of the pack just to get to know them better. 

He did spend the most time with Zack. Their sleep patterns and energy levels were very similar and they considered each other best friends so it was only natural. Sure, Zack was more upbeat and acted more energetic, but Cloud had no troubles keeping up with the activities they did even if he didn’t  _ seem _ as enthusiastic. They often took long walks around their territory, making sure that Cloud knew it well enough to do the patrols along its borders on his own. 

  
On those walks, they also liked to spend quite a bit of time just kissing and being very soft in their affection. They hadn’t had sex properly since that day with Sephiroth, nor had they bonded, because Cloud was still uncertain about whether Zack wanted him properly or not. Maybe a foolish thought given how much time they spent kissing and enjoying each other's company, but there were fears that Cloud just couldn’t shake yet.

With Angeal, Cloud enjoyed cooking different dishes and learned more about the flora that were important to either culture. Predators normally didn’t  _ have _ to cook, but seeing as Angeal still enjoyed doing it, and Cloud liked how it reminded him of his old pack, they chose that to be their bonding activity. When they didn’t talk about food or flowers - they talked about their families. 

Cloud learned that Angeal had a younger brother called Gladio who lived with his mate Ignis a week’s travel north of their home. They apparently had a daughter called Iris, and Angeal confessed that he couldn’t wait to introduce Cloud to them later on when spring came. Angeal gladly talked about his old home in Banora where him and Genesis grew up. Banora as it had been no longer existed because of humans, but Angeal and Genesis still kept the memories of it close to their hearts. They only ever used their native banoran tongue to argue or discuss things in private, but they made sure not to forget it. 

His time with Genesis was always rather straight-forward, or rather as straight-forward as anything could be when it came to Genesis. They read to each other, just like they had agreed to, and gradually taught each other the other culture’s alphabet.    
Genesis had developed quite a love for “Loveless” however, and nowadays he basically greeted everyone with quotes from it. Genesis had even tried using it during sex, but only Angeal accepted it. He hadn’t expected to have a reaction to the phrase “ _ My friend, your desire, is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess _ ”, but having Genesis moan it into his ear had made him cum embarrassingly fast. Something that made him the victim of quite a bit of teasing by all of his mates.

  
Cloud and Genesis still didn’t consider each other friends, but they got along well enough now that they had a common interest. They didn’t talk much about personal things, like Cloud did with both Zack and Angeal. Instead, they focused purely on cultural, broad topics that were interesting to both of them. Cloud had even taught Genesis how to use a couple of the things he had collected from ‘prey’. He didn’t know how to use a sextant, but the binoculars and mess-kits were easy enough. 

Cloud and Sephiroth had the most unexpected relationship. Both were rather quiet but had a similar sense of humor, and both had to be doing something with their hands while they talked in order to be comfortable. This most often meant that they simply groomed each other while talking about themselves. Sephiroth shared quite a bit about himself - More than Cloud had honestly expected him to. 

His mom Lucretia had apparently died when he was very little and he barely remembered her. Instead, his grandmother Jenova had taken over raising him as his father had been banished when Lucretia died. He had three cousins apparently - Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz - but he didn’t have much contact with them even though they had been raised together by Jenova. Despite not being actual siblings, the fact that they were raised together made the three refer to him as ‘big brother’ and he had to admit that he did also see them as his little brothers.

Grooming and getting to know each other had been expected. What no one had predicted was how sexually intense Sephiroth and Cloud would be together. While Cloud and Angeal occasionally had sweet sex during their time together - Sephiroth and Cloud had sex almost daily. 

It would usually start out with the regular grooming and cuddling, and eventually their scents and the comfort of their close proximity would push them together. Both enjoyed letting go of the control they were so used to. Sephiroth was used to always being in control of himself and his reactions. He was used to pushing down most of his instincts, but when he fucked Cloud he got to just let loose. Cloud had spent his entire life trying to control himself - to act human - and when Sephiroth fucked him he could just let himself go. They didn’t know if it was healthy, but honestly they also didn’t care if it was. 

They never spoke when they fucked. The only noises they made were entirely animalistic, complete with growls, snarls and whines. Sephiroth only ever took Cloud from behind - mounting him like the animals they felt like they were.    
Angeal and Zack occasionally checked up on them to make sure that nothing bad was happening despite the smell of blood that sometimes accompanied the scent of sex due to Sephiroth’s biting, but Genesis always made sure to stay as far away from them as possible. He even insisted on leaving the den entirely when he knew that Cloud and Sephiroth would spend time together. He claimed that he couldn’t handle the stench and that the noises bothered his creative thought process. Nobody was fooled.

“Your scent has changed” Sephiroth pointed out one day while they laid in their after-glow. They were still stuck together and panting, but despite how foggy Cloud’s mind was - Sephiroth’s seemed clear enough that he decided to have an actual verbal discussion. Cloud wasn’t there yet though, so instead of responding with words, he just let out a curious huff, snuggling closer. 

“It’s not bad. I simply think it’s confirmation that you are, indeed, carrying our cubs” Sephiroth murmured, running a gentle hand down along Cloud’s belly. The touch made Cloud shiver, but he just let out a dismissive grumble - clearly not believing Sephiroth. 

“Why is that hard to believe?” Sephiroth asked, kissing his neck gently, and only then did Cloud muster up the strength to speak. 

“Because it’s too early” he pointed out, though he didn’t try to remove Sephiroth’s hand. He liked being touched gently by his mates, and something very primal inside him was pleased to have  _ his alpha _ touch such an important part of him. 

“It is not. Tigers carry cubs for 110 days. Wolves even less than that” Sephiroth pointed out, causing Cloud to tense up. 

“Yes, but… Humans carry their children for 9 months”

“You aren’t human”

“More human than animal”

“Only culturally. Do you know how long your mother carried you for?”

Cloud simply snarled at him for that, baring his teeth. They had talked about their mothers - Sephiroth knew that Cloud wouldn’t have a clue. 

“That’s what I thought”

“If we weren’t stuck together, I’d push you off the bed”

“You are welcome to try when we aren’t. That doesn’t change the likelihood that you’re pregnant” Sephiroth huffed, rubbing his belly gently again. “You even look a little larger”

“Because I have more food than I used to” Cloud argued, still not mentally ready for the possibility that he might become a parent soon. 

“And perhaps there is a reason behind your increased appetite”

“Yeah. More sex and physical activities”

“Would you not be putting on muscles instead of soft fat then?”

“My metabolism isn’t at it’s peak in this new environment”

“That’s-”

“Seph - Stop” Cloud snarled firmly then, finally pushing Sephiroth’s hand off him. He was tempted to tear himself away from the other, but he knew that would be needlessly painful. Instead, he just settled for getting as far away as he could come now. 

“We have to talk about this, Cloud. There is no need to act like this” Sephiroth pushed on, clearly annoyed with how unnecessarily emotional Cloud was acting. “If it’s true, then we need to be prepared to take care of both you and them. Failing to do so could lead to death-”

“I know that” Cloud snarled, his scent turning sour in his fear and rage.”I know you talked about that. I know you’re scared because of your mom… But  _ you _ aren’t the one possibly carrying them” he pointed out. 

“What does it matter? They are my children as well”

“ _ ‘What does it matter’ _ ?! Are you serious?” Cloud asked, turning to glare at his mate with a constant, displeased growl. “I’d like to see  _ you _ handle suddenly having an organ you never knew you had. I would like to see how  _ you _ ’d react to having your whole world turned upside down and learn that everything you thought you knew about your body was wrong”

“My world was turned upside down when yours was”

“Yeah but you didn’t just suddenly grow a third head or something, did you? No new limb to take care of? No new arms or wings just sprouting from places you never thought they would?”

“You’re being ridiculous”

“No,  _ you _ are being selfish and fucking  _ rude _ . Some empathy wouldn’t hurt, especially if you’re so hellbent on becoming a dad” Cloud snarled and pulled away once he could feel that the pressure of Sephiroth’s knot had gone down. His legs were a bit wobbly, but he growled at Sephiroth when he tried to help him get steady. 

“Don’t touch me. I’m way too angry with you right now” he warned him as he wobbled out of the room. Sephiroth considered following him, but figured that he should listen to Cloud’s request for now. Cloud barely had a choice to be with them, so Sephiroth would follow his wishes as well as he could… Within reason. 

Cloud kept walking until he had properly left the den. Not far enough to leave their territory, but enough to get away from most of Sephiroth’s smell at least. He was still trembling, refusing to look down at his own body, and considered what to do now.    
He could feel Sephiroth’s cum trickle down the inside of his thigh and felt vaguely disgusted by how aroused that made him. Normally he wouldn’t mind, but right at that moment it felt like too much. He didn’t want to be aroused by the thought of Sephiroth filling him. He didn’t want to think of how good it felt when Sephiroth fucked him so deep that he could feel him for hours afterwards, and he wanted to think of what their fucking had lead to least of all. 

Because Cloud knew that Sephiroth was right. Of course he knew. And he felt dirty. 

He headed down to the cold lake nearby. It was normally used by Angeal and Sephiroth for their baths, and though he didn’t want to particularly think of either of them - he wanted that cold water. 

His mind was full of whirling thoughts on his way to the lake. There was so much of it that it was impossible to sort out in any tangible manner, so he didn’t even try. Instead, he just let the thoughts race on until he reached the water. 

The cold helped him focus and he let out a happy little sigh at the relief of how quiet his mind became. The cold also helped distract him from any form of arousal, and as he scrubbed Sephiroth's seed from himself he had some time to think. 

No matter how little he actually wanted to be pregnant - No matter what he felt about the situation - there was no denying that he most certainly was. Not only could he see the slight bump on his stomach, but he could honestly  _ feel  _ them. He didn’t think it was their hearts per se, but it felt like two little dots of concentrated lifestream inside him. Two warm little spots inside him, and it terrified him. There was nothing he could do about it - he was stuck…! He had figured he would have nine months to come to terms with it, but now it seemed like he would have less than half of that!

He was too young - it was too scary…!

He didn’t even realize that he was crying until he noted that his vision had become all blurry and unfocused. Not wanting to get a random bout of hysteria and lose control in cold water, he quickly made his way towards the shore. 

In order to warm himself up further (and to avoid having to look at his belly) he shifted into a wolf the moment he was fully on dry land. He didn’t want to go back home yet, so instead he just laid down where he was, looking at the water and the puffs of white that left him every time he breathed. Winter truly was just around the corner.

“So this is where you are”

Cloud simply let out a huff at that - not bothering to turn and look at Genesis. Just what he needed. Someone who’d either make fun of him, or do anything to be in his position. Even though Cloud hadn’t answered, Genesis slumped down to sit next to him as though he had. 

“Goddess only knows why you’d come to this frigid lake when you have two hot springs at your disposal” Genesis chittered, not touching Cloud or even looking at him.    
“Seph said you got a bit upset and left. Ange wanted to come, as did Seph, but I told them that I’d handle it. I didn’t think you’d want two alphas hovering around you right now”

Now that caught Cloud’s attention and he turned to look at Genesis with an uncertain gaze. His ears were pointed back, his head low to the ground and very obviously submissive. 

**_“... You offered to come talk to me? Because you thought I’d be uncomfortable with them?”_ **

“I did. Sometimes I’m simply too kind for my own good” Genesis sighed dramatically, flicking his hair out of his eyes. “I may not be completely like you, but I know how suffocating they can be when they’re in a mood”

**_“... Thank you”_ **

“You’re welcome, pet. So, what’s the matter?”

Cloud hesitated to answer, turning his head away again with an uncertain flick to his tail. He just grumbled, seemingly unwilling to actually talk about it. 

“You know, you can either tell me, or I’ll just have to assume things about you. I know you don’t want to be pregnant”

Again, Cloud didn’t want to reply. He didn’t want to confirm or deny, because he knew that Genesis would call him out on a lie. Instead, he just huffed loudly and pointedly turned further away from the other. 

“Very mature of you” Genesis chuckled. “Very well then, if you won’t talk - then I’ll just have to do it myself. You don’t want to be pregnant, you’re scared and I think you feel guilty about those feelings. You foolishly assume that I’ll be angry with you because you have something that I would kill for, when in truth I’m the one who understands you the best”

That caught Cloud’s attention, and he carefully glanced back at him for that. He tried to ignore how unsettling it was that Genesis could just pinpoint feelings he himself hadn’t come to terms with, and instead focus on the most important part of what he had said. 

**_“... What do you mean?”_ **

“I know what it’s like to be stuck with a body you don’t want” Genesis shrugged. “It would be hypocritical of me to be angry at you for having a body that I want when I happen to have the body that you want”

**_“I… Never thought of it that way….”_ **

“I figured you didn’t, or you wouldn’t have assumed that I would be angry” Genesis simply said, daring to reach out and scratch Cloud behind the ears. Cloud was still tense, but he allowed it and even leaned into the touch. It felt safer somehow, knowing that Genesis wouldn’t actually be taunting him. 

**_“It’s not that I don’t… That I don’t want them…”_ ** Cloud admitted carefully.  **_“I just never expected that I would become a father… Or mother I suppose”_ **

“Just as I knew that I would never be able to become someone’s ma” Genesis confirmed with a nod. “ _ ‘My friend, the fates are cruel _ ’.I long since accepted that I’ll never be able to have my own cub call me ‘ma’ with Angeal as their ‘da’. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt”

**_“Right”_ ** Cloud hummed, feeling more than a little surprised at how open and honest Genesis was being. They had made sure to stay away from topics that were too personal and private until now, and he honestly didn’t know what to do with it. 

**_“... Am I a monster for being scared?”_ ** he finally asked carefully, already feeling guilty towards the lives growing inside him. He wasn’t scared of them - he didn’t even dislike them. He was just scared of the change and that he wouldn’t be enough. 

“No. I would say you’d be a monster if you weren’t” Genesis assured him, reaching down to nuzzle him gently. It was a rare show of affection from the fox, and Cloud’s tail started to wag in response as he returned it.    
“Monsters feel nothing, while our emotions are what makes us people. Fear isn’t a bad feeling, Cloud. Feelings overall aren’t bad - Quite the opposite. I find that they make life more colorful” Genesis went on with a chuckle. “What can be bad is our responses to our feelings… Or so Angeal says when I’m in a mood”

“ **_I can see him saying that_ ** ” Cloud huffed in amusement before falling silent as he thought more thoroughly of what Genesis was sharing with him.    
“ **_Thank you. I just keep feeling lost, I guess_ ** ”

“Understandable” Genesis hummed before standing up and stretching out with a pleased purr. “Now, as lovely as it is to freeze my balls off by this lake with you, I would rather relax in the warmth of our home. What do you say? Are you ready to go back?”

Cloud simply grinned at that and nodded, standing up as well but not shifting. He was still moist after all, and the fur was giving him a pleasant layer of warm protection against the cold air. Genesis shifted as well - apparently also thinking that it was far too cold not to wear fur - and set off back home towards the den. 

When they got home, Cloud had expected him to head off to his own room. Instead, Genesis made his way towards Angeal’s, and let out a clear chitter meaning that he expected Cloud to follow. Curious, and amused despite himself, Cloud followed him. 

Once inside, Genesis made his way towards the bed and immediately burrowed down into the many furs that laid neatly on top of the bed. A hearth was lit in the corner of the room, and it made it almost too warm to remain in fur. Cloud approached the bed curiously and shifted into his human form, letting out a very not-human yip of surprise as Genesis’ human face popped up from under the furs. 

“What are you doing?” Cloud asked, clearly bewildered at the fox’ behaviour. Genesis just seemed pleased, if his happy chitter was anything to go by, as he kept burrowing around and messing up Angeal’s neat bed. 

“I’m making myself comfortable. Angeal’s room is the warmest, and he has the best furs” Genesis grinned and winked. “Come join me - let’s surprise him when he comes back. It always riles him up when I mess up his stuff like this. I swear he’s more human than any of us - Who cares about a little mess?”

Cloud couldn’t help but chuckle at that, and carefully joined Genesis in bed. When he didn’t immediately start burrowing down and nesting properly, Genesis simply dropped a pile of furs on top of him to force him. 

It felt… Strangely right. He was surrounded by warmth and the smell of his kind, gentle alpha. Something inside him was deeply pleased by the comfort of it, and he unconsciously started piling and shifting the softness around until it felt right. Genesis remained close, but didn’t try to interfere anymore. He seemed content to simply let Cloud do what he felt like he needed to. 

Once Cloud felt happy with what he had made, he settled down in the middle of the pile with a content, soft purr. He wasn’t even really aware that he was making that noise, but Genesis didn’t seem surprised at all.

“May I join you?” he finally asked, and Cloud found himself nodding. He wanted physical contact, and after their little talk outside - he felt like he could trust Genesis on a different level than before. 

Now that he had permission, Genesis slid closer and even wrapped his arms around Cloud. It surprised him, but he found that he didn’t mind at all and he even nuzzled closer as his purr grew louder.    
It felt so out of character for him - So strange but so right, that he glared up at Genesis despite still being cuddled up against his chest. 

“...What did you do?”

“Hm?”

“What is this? What am I doing?”

“I believe this is called cuddling, my sweet”

“Don’t give me that shit. You knew I’d do this if prompted to. Is it an omega thing?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about~ I brought you here because it’s warm and because it’s fun to ruffle Angeal’s fur now and then”

“Just answer the question, Genesis”

“ _ ‘Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess’ _ ”

“Don’t just quote Loveless at me…!”

The scolding had to wait however, as he was interrupted by someone clearing their throat in the doorway. Both Genesis and Cloud turned to look at Angeal, taking in the amused yet confused look on his handsome face. 

“As pleasant as it is to find you two warming my bed, I can’t help but wonder what brought this about. I’m used to Genesis coming around and making a mess, but I believe this is the first time you’ve joined him, Cloud” he chuckled as he came closer. Genesis leaned over Cloud to greet him with a full kiss on the lips, and once that little greeting was done, Angeal leaned down and gave Cloud one just like it as well. 

“I found the little omega freezing his ass off near the lake, and I figured your bed would warm him right up” Genesis purred, clinging tighter to Cloud and making him grumble in embarrassment. 

“Uh-huh…” Angeal hummed, taking in the look of the bed. As always when Genesis came around, it was a mess. This time however, it looked like a very deliberate mess, and he frowned in confusion as the realization dawned on him. 

“Are you nesting, Cloud?”

“Am I what?” Cloud asked, looking just as confused. When both of them turned their gazes to Genesis - his face was the very definition of innocence. 

“Are you implying that I would know what a pregnant omega needs more than Cloud does and help him discover those things~?” he purred with a smug grin. 

“Yes. That is exactly what we’re saying” Cloud sighed, flicking Genesis’ forehead with his fingers. “You could have just explained this to me instead of letting me feel awkward”

“But I enjoy making you feel awkward as you figure things out”

Cloud growled at that, but any verbal response was cut off as Angeal suddenly pressed close on his other side, crowding in and pressing his nose against Cloud’s neck. He let out a flustered yip at that, his cheeks turning red as he could hear the alpha sniff loudly at him. 

“A-Angeal?”

“Is it true?” the much larger man asked, sounding far more fragile than a man of his size should be able to. When Cloud didn’t immediately seem to understand what he was getting at, he squeezed Cloud tighter still and clarified.   
“Are you actually pregnant?”

Ah. Right. That would explain the eager, unbridled joy in Angeal’s eyes.

“Yeah” Cloud confirmed after a hesitant pause, glancing at Genesis to make sure the other male was alright. Genesis didn’t show any form of displeasure at all, but before Cloud could ask - Angeal claimed his mouth in a much deeper kiss than before and he slowly lost himself in the deep, passionate kiss. 

Angeal’s chest was rumbling with a happy purr, and Cloud returned it with a purr of his own as they kissed. Something about it felt so deeply right. His alpha being right there with him in his nest (he would have to remember to ask about the specifics later), showing him affection and love. He felt… Safe. And comfortable…

And increasingly horny. 

As he could feel himself growing wet and hard, he let out a cautious whine and glanced at Genesis. It was embarrassing and he didn’t want to push the other too much. Genesis hadn’t actually complained, but Cloud could only assume that it was emotionally exhausting to be reminded of what he thought was a personal flaw. He didn’t want to make it worse by pushing him away through fucking one of the men he loved. 

Angeal responded to the whine with a questioning rumble as he nipped his way down to Cloud’s neck, and Cloud let out a worried huff in Genesis’ direction. The fox seemed a little confused by it, and tilted his head to the side with a questioning chirp. 

“What’s wrong? Embarrassed that I’m here? Would you like me to leave?” Genesis asked, eyes darting between Angeal and Cloud with a conflicted frown. In truth, it would always hurt somewhat to see Angeal intimate with others unless he was directly involved….

Did he want to be involved in this? As in - did he want to be a part of this?

Maybe it would help… Maybe it would help him see more of what the others saw in Cloud. 

As Angeal had already reached between Cloud’s legs to slip a finger into him, it was growing more difficult for Cloud to speak with words, but he felt like he at least had to try. 

“Stay?” he managed to choke out, and Angeal let out a growl of agreement. When Genesis still looked uncertain, Cloud decided to take a chance. 

Genesis and him might never actually get along or get over their initial dislike. He didn’t expect Genesis to actually like him, and fully accepted that Genesis was likely doing all of these things because it would make the alphas happier. Cloud knew that, and he felt at a loss of how he could show him his appreciation.    
Now, he realized that there was at least one thing that he could do, if Genesis would agree. 

He could give him pleasure, and he could let Genesis join Angeal and him. After all, he had done it with Zack and Sephiroth before. 

He gently tugged Genesis closer - Giving him an opportunity to pull away if he wanted to - and then pressed their lips together in a questioning kiss. 

Ironically, their first impressions of each other were the exact same: How soft their lips were. 

The kiss was careful and soft - Just a gentle, uncertain offer. Cloud had no idea if Genesis would accept it or if he would try to bite his lips off, but he had known that he wanted to take the risk. 

  
When Genesis returned the kiss with a happy sigh, Cloud finally allowed himself to give into his instincts fully again. He tugged Genesis even closer and the fox happily deepened the kiss by coaxing Cloud to open his mouth more. The slide of their tongues against each other was delicious, and Cloud’s happy mewl was met with an approving rumble from Angeal. 

“My my, what a sweet little thing you are” Genesis purred against his lips, reaching down to take a gentle hold of Cloud’s cock. The teasing pressure caused Cloud to buck his hips in order to get some proper friction, and the movement made him take Angeal’s two fingers deeper into himself. 

The scent of arousal slowly filled the chamber around them, and even Genesis let out a pleased moan at it despite not being as sensitive to scents as the other two. Angeal and Cloud were actually physically affected by the pheromones, while Genesis simply enjoyed them. He had to admit that it was quite enticing to see Angeal’s eyes glow softly in his excitement. It was straight up hot to see his fangs and claws growing as he was slowly giving in to his base instincts. Genesis normally only got to see him like that during his rut, and he could feel himself grow hard at the thought. 

Genesis reluctantly had to admit that even Cloud was a lot more attractive as he gave in to his nature. The little blond had always been pretty, but now that beauty took on a rugged, feral charm. His fangs growing, his eyes glowing and even the tips of his ears growing more pointed than they usually were. His needy little sounds were doing things to Genesis, and when he saw Cloud’s pink, wet tongue lick at his lips - He just had to press himself in for another greedy kiss. 

Meanwhile, Cloud was starting to feel overwhelmed in all the best ways. Genesis’ kisses were warm, wet and passionate; Angeal’s cock rested heavy against his thigh, and the thick fingers inside him were rubbing him just right. The hand around his cock was just loose enough to tease, and it just made him more needy. When Angeal pressed a third finger inside and bit down gently on his neck, he let out an excited cry into Genesis’ mouth; earning himself an amused chuckle from the fox. 

“Such a pretty thing” Genesis cooed, his voice much deeper than Cloud was used to, and it made him shiver with excitement. It seemed like Angeal was growing impatient though, or he just realized that Cloud didn’t need stretching given what him and Sephiroth had done earlier that very evening; because he shifted to get in position between Cloud’s legs. Cloud eagerly spread his legs and wrapped them around Angeal’s waist in preparation, and Genesis leaned in closer to have a better look. 

They all knew that Angeal’s cock was shorter than Sephiroth’s but it was most certainly thicker, and so Cloud let out a cry as Angeal slowly pushed his way inside with a snarl. Even Genesis moaned at the sight - Having to admit that seeing his beloved’s huge cock push into someone as small as Cloud was incredibly arousing. 

As Angeal started to gently fuck Cloud, Genesis pulled him into a deep kiss. Cloud seemed too distracted by the cock thrusting it’s way inside him to mind. He simply leaned back and enjoyed the feeling of being stretched to his limits by his alpha - his mate. It felt so good…! So right…!!! Fuck, how had he gotten so lucky that both of his alphas were hung-!? It hit all the right spots, and within moments he was moaning and whimpering at every thrust of Angeal’s hips. 

Given that Genesis was most in control of himself at that point, decided that he wanted to try something fun with the little omega without getting in Angeal’s way. He climbed up on top of Cloud, hovering with his face above the blond’s beautiful cock while having his own rest against Cloud’s cheek from above. He wasn’t going to force his cock into Cloud’s mouth, but if he wanted it - it was very much there.    
He thought himself really clever honestly. From this position, he could watch Angeal’s handsome, strong body at work, while also teasing him relentlessly by sucking off his omega. He knew that Angeal loved how he looked with a cock in his mouth, and he was about to give the alpha a proper show. 

He took a proper hold of Cloud’s cock and circled the head with his tongue, briefly noting the gasps the omega let out as he did so, before taking him into his mouth. As he kept working him deeper, he kept up his eye-contact with Angeal and was rewarded with a loud, aroused snarl as the alpha started to fuck Cloud faster and deeper. Genesis moaned at the sight and increased his efforts - truly enjoying sucking Cloud’s cock if only because of the reaction it had on Angeal. 

Meanwhile, Cloud was losing himself completely to the pleasure. He had thought that he was overwhelmed before but that was nothing compared to his current bliss…! Genesis’ mouth was so wet and hot around him and the suction felt perfect….! He would have rolled his hips if Angeal hadn’t been holding onto them and keeping him in place. Speaking of Angeal, his cock was fully inside him now, and his delicious girth rubbed every, good inch of him inside. Thick, hot, hard and perfect…! The physical sensations combined with the scent in the air and the musk coming from Genesis’ cock that rested against his face almost became too much. 

It was filthy, arousing, and he wanted more…! The more sex he had, the less he understand why humans were so sheltered and shy about it. It was intimate, fun and it felt so incredibly good…! Why be ashamed?! 

He still wasn’t too good at sucking cock, but it was too tempting to have Genesis so close without tasting him. That, and the sense of guilt coming from the back of his mind. He wanted Genesis to feel good - he didn’t want him to feel left out - so he carefully moved to suck Genesis’ cock into his mouth. He couldn’t hear Genesis’ noises, if he made any, over the sound of Angeal’s thrusts and the sound of his heartbeat roaring in his ears, but seeing as Genesis seemed to press deeper instinctively - he assumed that he was doing an alright job. 

As he kept sucking Genesis more properly, he realized that when he made Genesis moan - it caused vibrations to run through his cock in the most pleasant way, and so he increased his efforts. 

Angeal sincerely started to wonder whether he had died and joined his parents in the Lifestream. Cloud squeezed his cock just right, and the sight of his Genesis pleasuring his omega and being pleasured in return, simply seemed too good to be true. The sounds the two of them were letting out - Wet slurping and muffled moans - had him growl eagerly as he moved faster and faster towards his orgasm. He didn’t want to be alone in doing so however, and didn’t hesitate to increase his efforts. 

He took a firm hold of Genesis’ hair, causing him to cry out around the cock in his mouth, and then used that grip to push Cloud’s cock all the way into his mouth and throat. The omega clearly hadn’t expected that given his muffled scream and involuntary squeeze around Angeal’s cock, and he could feel Genesis shiver in his grip. He knew that Genesis was more than capable of deepthroating larger cocks than Cloud’s and that the beta loved being handled roughly. 

The increased pace of his thrusts combined with his encouragement of the two set off a cycle of pleasure that had them all rushing closer to their orgasms with every passing moment. His cock in Cloud’s pussy made the omega moan, which in turn made Genesis groan around his cock, which turned the pleasure right back at Cloud who squeezed up tighter and encouraged Angeal to move faster. 

It wasn’t long before Cloud let out a loud, muffled shriek as he came down Genesis’ throat, causing the fox to grunt in both surprise and pleasure. His gaze flickered up to Angeal’s again, after having closed his eyes briefly, and the alpha growled at him. He was so deep in pleasure that it was difficult to speak, but there were still two words that he needed to say for Genesis’ sake.

“ _ Good boy…~ _ ”

Those words were Genesis’ undoing and he came with a cry as his back arched beautifully on top of Cloud’s. The sight and smell of the two finally became too much for Angeal, and with a loud roar he pushed his knot all the way inside Cloud and came. 

Once Genesis was done and Angeal let go off his hair, he rolled over onto Cloud’s side and nuzzled up to him again. He gently tugged him into sated, sloppy kisses and rubbed their noses together with happy chirps. Cloud was a little too tired to be properly enthusiastic about it, but he did purr and returned the kisses as best as he could.    
As soon as Angeal came down from his orgasmic high, he rearranged them so that he was on his back under Cloud, with the omega resting on top of him. He wanted to properly spoon him from behind, but his knot made that difficult, so he had to make do. First he kissed his little omega, and then he turned to kiss Genesis gratefully as well. 

Genesis, feeling quite relaxed and pleasantly surprised by the turn of events, simply helped tug more furs around them and on top of Cloud. He couldn’t build a proper nest, of course, but he could still offer comfort and warmth afterwards. 

Once he was done, he snuggled up against Angeal and settled in to get ready to sleep. Together, the three of them fell asleep to the sound of their combined purrs and heartbeats. Before Genesis fully fell asleep though, he gazed at Angeal’s sleeping face and then down at the cute omega. He realized that he was smiling, and closed his eyes again with a pleased sigh.

Maybe becoming a proper pack wouldn’t be that bad. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19  
> Wonderful depiction of Genesis and Cloud being little shits in chapter 4: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1289959685366439943?cxt=HHwWhICoxaTj7eYjAAAA
> 
> My own cute lil piece of just... The boys being beans in a pile: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291388469936369665?cxt=HHwWgsC9mZW-9-sjAAAA
> 
> A portrait of how Zack looks in this particular fic: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291366873167212547?cxt=HHwWhsC13YjV7esjAAAA


	16. Cuddle-pile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations are had as the pack slowly settles into their new reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit guys! For some reason I hadn't actually properly LOOKED at the amount of hits and kudos this work has gotten, but when I did it blew me away!
> 
> More than 11k hits!? More than 400 kudos!? I am so overwhelmed with love and appriceation for every single one of you! Thank you so much <3 
> 
> This chapter feels a little bit like a transition-chapter, but I assure you that important things are talked about. Next chapter will actually be filled with action, some blood and violence and such, but if I had put that into this chapter as well it would have been at LEAST twice as long and it would have taken me longer to get it out. 
> 
> So enjoy! I hope you like it and I hope you're all doing alright under the circumstances <3 
> 
> Art links at the bottom as usual! If you ever do something inspired by this work - I would LOVE to see/read it and I promise to link it up here as well.

Seeing as Cloud, Genesis and Angeal had apparently decided to cozy up in Angeal’s room for the night, and Sephiroth was certain that he wouldn’t be a welcome presence yet - Zack made sure to sleep in the same bed as him to keep him company.    
Zack was certain that Sephiroth was sleeping, but he just couldn’t find rest properly and ended up fidgeting for what felt like hours on end. 

“What’s wrong, Zack?”

Ah. Not asleep then. 

“Nothing” he grumbled into Sephiroth’s hair and simply tugged him closer. Sephiroth just scoffed at that, pushing himself up onto his elbows so he could look down at his scruffy mate. 

“You know I don’t like it when you lie”

“And you know you still have to respect boundaries” Zack pointed out, turning his gaze away. He tensed up as Sephiroth sighed, but relaxed again once he felt a gentle kiss on his forehead. 

“I do. But I don’t like to see you suffer when I know that I can help”

“... How do you know you can help me with this?”

“You always feel better after you get to speak your problems out loud, dear heart. Try me” 

Zack grumbled again but snuggled closer still. He knew that he was right, but he still felt… ungrateful and guilty about what he was feeling. 

“It’s… It’s Cloud” he finally admitted, struggling with himself to get the words out. Sephiroth didn’t say anything, but tried to soothe and encourage him by petting him gently. 

“I really like him. Like,  _ like _ like him. We do some kissing when we’re alone and stuff, and don’t get me wrong - it’s amazing! He’s so sweet and so cute and beautiful…!” he sputtered, a light blush on his cheeks and a smile on his lips.    
“I want to do more with him. I want to make love to him, I want to mark him and make him mine properly but… I don’t think he wants that”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Sephiroth asked, truly surprised by this. He knew that Zack and Cloud had never had sex in the den after their threesome, but he had assumed that the two of them did so when they were out at least. The way they looked at each other made it painfully clear that they were utterly in love. 

“He never wants to go further than kissing me, and he looks… He looks sad whenever I bring up mating and sex” Zack admitted with a sad whine. “I have stopped asking because I don’t want him to feel pressured or anything. I sort of… I figured it’s because I’m a beta. Like, he’ll have sex with you and Angeal, but not with me and Gen. But… Apparently that’s not the case” 

Sephiroth nodded. Neither of them had missed the sounds coming from Angeal’s room after all. 

“So if it’s not my gender, then what is it? What am I doing wrong?” Zack asked quietly, sounding absolutely miserable. “I just want to make him happy, but I also want him to become mine. If I can’t get that - if he just wants to keep me as a friend - then I just really need to know that for sure, but he won’t say it outright. The uncertainty is killing me…!”

“Zackary, I need you to listen to me” Sephiroth interrupted him, causing the younger male to glance up at him again. The hint of tears Sephiroth could see there broke his heart, and he leaned down to nuzzle Zack before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. 

“You haven’t done anything wrong. Our lives may have changed dramatically, but it’s still only been a month since he joined us. You haven’t known him for more than six weeks. While I know your feelings are strong still, you are moving faster than you normally would” he pointed out, making Zack blush a little with shame at the realization. Had it truly not even been two months…!?

“Yeah but… you’ve known him for even less and you two have sex all the time” he pointed out, earning himself a sharp frown. 

“We do. That does not mean there is true love between us quite yet however. It is possible that he feels comfortable doing such things with me because of our - admittedly - forced bond and because of our instincts. I know from experience that having sex with a beta means having a more… clear head. Angeal and I are more aware and in control when with you or Genesis than we are when we’re with Cloud. Seeing as Cloud has never had sex with anyone but an alpha properly, it is likely that the thought of having a clear head is… overwhelming to him”

“But Gen-”

“We don’t know how involved Genesis was just now” Sephiroth pointed out, not about to let Zack put himself down any further. “You have sucked Cloud off before, and it is very possible that Genesis and Cloud only partook in oral sex just now”

Zack remained quiet then, his gaze drifting away as he thought of the logic behind Sephiroth’s words. He… supposed that it made sense. He didn’t know what it was like to be an alpha or omega. Still…

“It’s not just the sex…” Zack mumbled reluctantly. “It’s just the… easiest thing to point out I guess. He wants to hide our affection, and like, I get it. Cultural differences and shit. But it feels like he wants to  _ hide _ that he likes me. That he’s ashamed… You know, if he even  _ does _ like me”

“Would he kiss you if he didn’t?”

“I don’t know? That’s the problem” Zack growled. “What if that’s just something prey do?”

“Why not ask him?”

“I don’t want to scare him away, or like - pressure him without meaning to”

“You know a relationship needs communication to work”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t seem to want a relationship so that feels kind of pointless”

“If you saw how he looks at you, you wouldn’t say that”

That caught Zack’s attention quite firmly, and he looked up at his mate again with a curious rumble. 

“... What do you mean?”

“I mean that both of you look at each other like you hang the stars in the sky” Sephiroth chuckled softly. “And that’s only when you think the other isn’t looking. When your gazes are locked, it’s like the very lifestream is there tying you together”

“... You’re just saying that to cheer me up” Zack accused with a shy, happy smile. 

“I am. I’m also telling the truth” Sephiroth retorted, leaning in to kiss him deeper this time. “You two just need to talk about this. He will stay whether or not your talk goes well, and you’re both adults. I’m sure you’ll figure something out”

“You believe in me too much”

“And you believe in yourself too little. Someone has to pick up the slack”

“Calling me lazy are you?”

“Just a little” Sephiroth teased, earning himself a sincere laugh from his mate. It seemed like Zack was finally actually relaxing properly if he could allow himself to laugh like that. 

“Thanks, Seph. I don’t know what I would do without you” Zack purred, snuggling closer and kissing the other deeper and deeper. Their lips were soft and hot as they let their kisses linger, completely content.

“You’d probably end up with your head up your arse more often” Sephiroth teased in that deadpan voice of his, and Zack laughed again. 

“Hmmm I suppose you’re right. There are other things I would rather have up my arse though” he purred seductively, earning himself a curious growl from the tiger. 

“Oh I’m sure you would, but have you earned it?”

“I’ll wag my tail for you?”

“Please don’t. I just made the bed” Sephiroth huffed in a laugh. “On your back. Belly and neck bared to me” he demanded and the furs that had been covering them were pushed to the side Zack wasted no time obeying.

Sephiroth loved it when his mates were vulnerable around him. Both because it displayed the immense amount of trust they had for him, and because it made something inherently sadistic inside him purr. Like most felines, he loved playing with his prey, and this was no different to him. 

He trailed nipping kisses up along Zack’s belly and torso - his vulnerable, soft stomach open to his attentions. He could rip him open, but he wouldn’t, and both of them knew it. The potential danger added to the intimacy of it all, and when Sephiroth reached up to kiss and bite at Zack’s throat - they both let out rumbling growls. 

“Harder, Seph” Zack demanded, which earned him a sharp swat on the ass. 

“You get what I decide to give, pup. Stay still” Sephiroth growled playfully, earning himself an eager whine from his lupine lover as he kept running his sharp claws down the sides of Zack’s torso teasingly, kissing and nipping hard enough to leave plenty of marks scattered over his chest. 

When he reached his prize between Zack’s legs, he let out a happy rumble and nuzzled it teasingly with his nose. He was quite eager to get to taste his mate, but as always he knew he had to be careful so he wouldn’t hurt him. His fangs weren’t the problem - His rough tongue was. In his tiger form, his tongue was used to scrape off pieces of meat from his prey after all. It was a lot less rough in his humanoid form, but it could still cause pain to the most sensitive parts of his mates. 

He licked teasing stripes along the insides of Zack’s thighs, causing the younger man to groan as his cock twitched eagerly. 

“Fuck…! Why do you always have to be such a tease?” he panted, his breath hitching as Sephiroth sucked one of his testicles into his mouth carefully. 

“Because you are so beautiful when you’re begging for it” Sephiroth answered smugly as he finally took the tip of Zack’s cock into his mouth. He wouldn’t use his tongue, but rather work with vacuum and sucking motions as he bobbed his head up and down. Zack’s right leg twitched next to his head as he moved, and the wolf’s groan trailed off in another high-pitched whine the longer he worked. 

“Seph..!” he moaned, trying to buck his hips but Sephiroth held him in place to avoid hurting him in a way he wouldn’t enjoy. 

“Do you need preparation?” Sephiroth asked once he pulled off from the now slick,red cock in front of him. Zack shook his head and spread his legs further eagerly. 

“Nah, Angeal did me a solid earlier today” he admitted with a playful grin. Sephiroth absolutely imagined that his bushy tail would be wagging if it was out, but he didn’t comment on it.    
“Some slick would be nice though. He cleaned me out properly with his tongue”

Sephiroth’s own cock twitched at that imagery and he growled as he eagerly reached for the jar of oil that they kept near their beds at all times. 

“Filthy hounds, the both of you”

“Well you clearly aren’t one, if you couldn’t smell him even when you’re down there. What’s wrong, old man? Losing your sense of smell already?” Zack laughed, only to yelp as Sephiroth swatted him on the ass again. 

“Insolent whelp. I should just tie a ribbon around the base of your cock and leave you frustrated for the rest of the night” Sephiroth purred as he coated himself with the oil, only slipping a finger inside Zack to make him more slick. The press was easy enough that he easily believed that Angeal had been inside him not too long ago, and the thought excited him rather than make him jealous.    
It simply made sense to him. Zack was stunning and Angeal was handsome. He loved them both. Why  _ wouldn’t _ the thought arouse him?

All traces of teasing disappeared once he pressed inside his beloved however. Both of them groaned in pleasure at being joined so completely - Zack at how full Sephiroth made him, and Sephiroth at how tight and warm Zack was around him. 

Their lips met in a deep kiss as Sephiroth started to move with smooth thrusts. The tiger swallowed Zack’s breathless little moans and returned them in little pleased grunts. They clung to each other - intimate and sweet as they rocked together on the soft bed. Neither was in a hurry and simply content to enjoy the pleasure they gave each other. 

“I love you” Zack finally growled between kisses, rolling his hips up to have Sephiroth rub against an even better spot inside him. “Fuck~!”

“Such a dirty mouth” Sephiroth breathed in return, moving a little faster and simply adoring how Zack’s expression shifted in his pleasure. “I love you too”

When they both finally came, after half an hour of gradually increasing thrusts, it was with Zack’s legs wrapped tight around Sephiroth’s waist, and Sephiroth’s teeth deep in Zack’s shoulder. They were both panting and sweating, making their kisses taste both of salt and iron from their mutual biting. 

They gently cleaned each other up before settling in for a long night of sleep.

\--- 

The morning after was slow to start for Cloud, Genesis and Angeal. Cloud felt some form of strong pull to remain where he was under as many furs as possible. It felt good to hide, but having his mate’s arms around him felt even better. Sometime during the night, Genesis had snuggled up to press tight against Cloud’s back while Angeal held him from the front. His large arms hugged both of his smaller mates closer, and all seemed happy to just snooze away even if Cloud was actually awake. 

Angeal had mentioned ‘nesting’ the night before, and the word kept coming back to nag at Cloud’s mind. Nesting… Making nests to feel safe and warm while carrying young. It wasn’t as if he didn’t understand the idea, or could possibly deny it given his sudden need to burrow - it was just the constant disbelief at the fact that he was pregnant in the first place. 

Prey society, or rather the shifters that he had grown up with, had suppressed most of their ties to their animal sides in order to fit in with the humans around them. He had been so used to it that it felt strange to even discover that he had instincts that he hadn’t been aware he was suppressing in the first place. 

He had seen his pack follow some urges before, even when he himself didn’t dare to, but only when humans weren’t around.    
He thought back to how Tifa would sometimes see patches of dirt and throw herself into them and roll around with her legs and arms in the air. There were some urges that she embraced, such as the need to kick backwards if someone approached her from behind and startled her. 

  
Of course, that also made him think of Aerith and some of her odd but sweet behaviours. How she enjoyed digging in the dirt in her greenhouse without gloves or spades, and how she sometimes just used her teeth to trim her plants. His favourite thing that she sometimes did was when she binkied or flopped down next to someone she liked (most often himself or Tifa). He remembered being confused the first time she skipped and did a little twist in the air, but that Aerith’s mother Elmyra quickly explained that the move was called a ‘binky’ and the sign of a happy bunny.

His reminiscing was suddenly interrupted as Zack launched himself on top of them, effectively waking both Angeal and Genesis. His tail was wagging, his ears were happily perked, and he greeted all three of them with sloppy wolf-kisses to the face. 

“Don’t remember ordering breakfast in bed….” Genesis grumbled and snuggled down further under the furs, hiding his face against Cloud’s back. 

**_“You calling me a snack, Gen?”_ **

“No I’m saying I’ll tear your meat from the bone and eat you if you don’t  _ move _ ”

“C’mere, pup” Angeal grumbled from Cloud’s other side, holding up the fur in a clear invitation that Zack happily took. He burrowed in underneath the fur, and shifted beneath them until he had squirmed his way between Cloud and Angeal. Only then did he shift into his humanoid form, pressing an eager, happy kiss to Cloud’s lips and ignoring how Angeal sputtered from suddenly getting a lot of unruly black hair in his face. 

“I missed you” he cooed, making Cloud laugh and blush a little. 

“You saw me yesterday”

“That was hours ago!”

“You’re supposed to say you missed me too”

“You’re such a weirdo”

“Be nice, boys” Angeal chuckled, kissing Zack’s shoulder. “No need to fight like that. Also, you need to be careful with Cloud, Zack. He’s pregnant and can’t have your whole weight thrown onto him like that”

“Seph told me, but Cloudy is strong” Zack teased and leaned back to kiss Angeal on the lips instead. 

“Be that as it may, you know it’s a delicate state of being” Sephiroth said as he joined them, sitting down next to Genesis. 

“I resent that. I don’t feel more tired than I did before” Cloud pointed out, and Genesis groaned as he realized it would be pointless to try to fall back asleep again. There was no way Sephiroth or Angeal were going to accept that without at least an argument.

He was right. 

“Cloud, just because you can’t feel it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening” Angeal reasoned as Sephiroth nodded. 

“It is common for omegas not to feel more exhausted until just a week or so from giving birth”

“Sephiroth is right. Besides, you were nesting last night”

“He was nesting? Perhaps we should look into securing the borders more… I don’t want Cloud to leave the den for now”

Before Cloud had a chance to snarl at them to back off, Genesis did so for him. He let out a loud, shrill howl to cut them off, and then flicked each of their foreheads hard with his fingers. 

“Boys! Stop going all alpha and talk about him like he isn’t here” he scolded them, gently rubbing Cloud’s back as the smaller male vibrated with a quiet, pissed off growl. The two looked at least a little sheepish about it, but neither seemed willing to back down. 

“But-”

“Nope, you are going to stop right there” Cloud snarled, baring his fangs at Angeal who had tried to argue. “If you start to put up restrictive rules about me and my body without asking me first, I  _ swear _ I’ll break them out of  _ spite _ ”

Zack couldn’t help but snort in amusement at that, hiding his smile against Cloud’s neck. 

“I’m still my own person and it is up to me to tell you when I’m overwhelmed or need to rest”

“You don’t know how things work-”

“Maybe not, Sephiroth, but like we discussed before - They are _ inside _ me. I can _ literally  _ feel them drain my energy. They’re at a manageable size right now, and they aren’t taking too much energy from me yet. There is no reason for me to be kept inside like some object just because I discovered that it’s kinda neat to cuddle up in soft things” he pointed out.

This seemed to come as a surprise to the four of them, considering how all of them shifted closer with various curious sounds. 

“You can feel them? Already? Do they wriggle?” Zack asked, rubbing his hands over Cloud’s belly completely without shame and causing him to let out a surprised yelp. 

“Not as much as their ma” Genesis pointed out with a chuckle, earning himself an elbow to the ribs by the very wriggly omega. 

“That’s because his hands are fucking cold…!”

“I’m curious too” Angeal admitted, purring deep and content as he looked at Cloud’s belly. 

Genesis did what he could to master the intense jealousy and fear that rose in him at that, but it was admittedly rather difficult. He could see the love and the longing inside Angeal’s eyes - He shared both of them after all. They had talked a lot about it recently, but after more than ten years of trying to accept his own flaws, it was hard to see someone just waltz in and get it by mistake. He liked Cloud now, and it made it easier, but he still couldn’t shake the want for Angeal to look at him that way.    
He only grew less tense once Sephiroth figured out the expression on his face, and laid down behind him to spoon him like he was spooning Cloud. He purred as well, leaning in to kiss at his mating mark as Genesis sighed in relief. It was a physical reminder that Sephiroth - his alpha - loved him and valued him still, and he appreciated it. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Zack once again tried to grope Cloud, but only ending up tickling him. More than able to recognize the first signs of an impending wrestle-session, he flicked Zack on the nose. 

“Stop it, Zack. I am far too comfortable and grumpy to tolerate a full-blown wolf fight in my bed”

“It’s Angeal’s bed”

“Which means it’s mine”

“Does it now?” Angeal chuckled from behind Zack, holding the smaller male closer sweetly. 

“You know it does”

“Yes dear”

“You still didn’t answer, Cloud” Zack pointed out, though he held back from tickling and groping for now. He was tempted to rub back against Angeal’s cock, but after taking both alphas the day before, he had to admit that he was a little sore. Maybe later though…

“I mean… I can’t feel them ‘wriggle’” Cloud admitted, trying to burrow himself deeper as he found the topic a difficult one to discuss. “It’s like… Warmth. Like I have two little candles inside me”

“So you know there are two?”

“I mean I’ve never had this happen before, but I guess?”

“Can you tell who the sire is?”

“How would I do that…!?”

“Well I don’t know? Omega intuition stuff?”

“Even if that was the case, how would I know?  _ You’re _ the one who had to tell me that I had a sleepy-sexy-scent-trick”

“Boys, what did I say about fighting in my bed?” Genesis asked with a sigh, nipping at Cloud’s shoulder in a warning. “It’s entirely possible that they have the same sire, or that there’s one cub each for Seph and Angeal”

“It is?” Cloud asked, turning to glance back at Genesis over his shoulder. Genesis grumbled, but before he could actually answer - Sephiroth did so for him. He already knew that Genesis was tense and it wasn’t hard to figure out why. To pressure him into talking more about things that hurt him wouldn’t help anyone in this case. 

“It all depends on how many eggs the omega releases and how many of those actually get fertilized” he explained. “It is quite a natural thing for felines at least. I’m sure you’ve seen regular house cats have more kittens from several sires before, yes? It works on the same principle”

“... That… Is a bit weird…” Cloud murmured as he glanced down at his belly. It was a strange thing to consider honestly. Would he rather have one from each? Both from just one? If there was only one sire - Which sire would he prefer? Would it be wrong of him to have a preference? Was he a bad person for even thinking about it?

“I’m sure it is to you. Not that it matters who the sire is - The cubs will belong to the pack” Sephiroth shrugged, holding Genesis a little tighter. 

“You’re talking about them as if they’re things…” Cloud pointed out, torn between the urge to defend the little candles inside him, and the disgust at having them there in the first place. 

“I’m not. I’m simply being scientific and straight-forward. We’re a pack - a family - and no matter what, they will have five parents to care for them. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yeah… I guess…” 

Before anything else could be added to the conversation however - Genesis perked up and barked out a swift order for everyone to be quiet. He completely abandoned the relaxed cuddle-pile to go stand by the doorway. He was perked up, visibly tense and tilting his head occasionally as if he was listening to something the others couldn’t hear. 

Cloud was confused by it, but seeing how the other three seemed to take Genesis behaviour seriously he decided to wait for them to explain whatever was going on once it was safe to do so. Angeal left the bed to walk over to Genesis, making sure not to touch him. 

“How many?” Angeal asked once he deemed it safe to do so, and Genesis let out a thoughtful chitter as he considered it. Cloud turned to Zack with a silent question clear on his face, and Zack simply mouthed the answer. 

Intruders.

“It’s hard to tell” Genesis finally said, frowning in concern. “At the very least forty feet have passed our northern borders, though I can’t tell if that means there are twenty humanoids or ten transformed”

“Avians?” Sephiroth asked, joining his mates by the door. 

“Possibly” Genesis confirmed. “None of the runes in the trees have been fully triggered, but there have been traces at least”

“Zack” Sephiroth ordered immediately, and Zack nodded. Cloud didn’t know what it meant, but Zack immediately leapt off the bed and headed outside as a wolf. 

“What’s going on?” Cloud asked, feeling silly for being the only one still snuggling in bed. 

“The spell that surrounds our territory just triggered” Genesis informed him. “It lets me know when foreign shifters or humans enter. It happens rarely though, so for shifters to come in such a large group unannounced could mean trouble”

“Didn’t you contact Rufus?” Angeal asked, figuring a visit from the Shinra could be possible, but Genesis shook his head. 

“No, they don’t travel this close to winter. I suspect that Tseng is in the same state as Cloud based on their previous message.”

“And Reeve wouldn’t arrive without notifying us first” Sephiroth hummed. Right then, Zack came back inside, standing up on two feet and rubbing at his nose with his thumb. 

“Yeah it’s none of them”

“What did you smell? Are they known to us? Humans?” Sephiroth asked, and Zack shook his head. 

“Not humans, and technically known to us but not allies. All I could pick up was the stench of that fucker Don Corneo”

“Corneo?!” Angeal exclaimed, frowning and unconsciously stepping closer to Cloud. Sephiroth did the exact same thing, and Cloud couldn’t help but be both curious and concerned. 

“Who is Don Corneo?”

“A hog. Alpha of one of the most corrupt clans in the area” Sephiroth informed him, his chest rumbling with a growl. “We don’t support him, and he doesn’t support us, but we technically don’t have an active conflict with him. It is possible that they’re here to trade”

“So why are you all tense and acting like this?”

“Corneo is a gross asshole who cares about nothing but spreading his own territory and genes” Genesis huffed with a disgusted look on his face. “He deals with quite a lot of unsavory business”

“We should still see why they’re here” Sephiroth said firmly. “I don’t want to be the ones initiating a feud with him. Disgusting and weak or not, he has more influence in more places than I’m comfortable with”

“And if they pose a danger to us?” Angeal asked, rolling his shoulders in preparation for the answer. 

“We kill them and send their skulls back to Corneo. Come - let’s see what the filthy pigs want”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19
> 
> Wonderful depiction of Genesis and Cloud being little shits in chapter 4: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1289959685366439943?cxt=HHwWhICoxaTj7eYjAAAA
> 
> Genesis helping Cloud with the nesting in chapter 15! : https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1300810296265781249
> 
> My own cute lil piece of just... The boys being beans in a pile: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291388469936369665?cxt=HHwWgsC9mZW-9-sjAAAA
> 
> A portrait of how Zack looks in this particular fic: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291366873167212547?cxt=HHwWhsC13YjV7esjAAAA


	17. Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don Corneo's pack have intruded on the pack's territory with demands to make. It doesn't end the way anyone thought it would...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again everyone!
> 
> This chapter is going to be rather different, and is a little bit shorter than the previous ones (I think - it's hard to keep track XD) but it is nontheless rather intense. You get a quick update, because this one just seemed to flow out of my fingers! Given that it was written in one sitting though, I might go back and improve things later, in which case I'll inform y'all about it. 
> 
> Some warnings apply for this chapter!  
> There will be gore and there will be blood in this one, along with some non-kinky choking and derogatory language.
> 
> Art links at the end as usual!

Cloud felt a little bit conflicted over the whole ordeal. He was worried about the possible encounter seeing as the rest of the pack were tense, but a part of him was excited to see his pack interact with another. He didn’t know the etiquette, so he simply followed Zack’s and Genesis’ lead. 

The five of them moved in a fixed pattern with Angeal and Sephiroth at the front side by side. Cloud walked behind them, with one beta on each side of himself. He didn’t know why, but if it was what the culture called for, then he would follow it. The three of them shifted into their animal forms, but Angeal and Sephiroth chose to remain in their humanoid forms. 

“We look like this in order to be less intimidating” Angeal explained as they moved towards the stench of the foreign pack. “It would be rude to show up transformed and ready for a fight as an alpha, but there is nothing wrong with showing that our betas and omegas have our backs”

As they got closer, both Sephiroth and Angeal straightened their backs as they waited. The wolves confirmed that the smell of them was coming closer, and Sephiroth decided that it would be a greater show of subtle dominance if the intruders were forced to seek them out the last bit of the way rather than the opposite. Sephiroth also motioned for the three to sit down. Genesis may only reach Sephiroth's hip in that form, but Zack and Cloud were large enough to seem intimidating if they were standing, and if they had to sit - then so did Genesis. A rule that Genesis was adamant about. Just because he was smaller didn’t mean he was less dangerous after all.

**_“Are we really going for a friendly approach here? It didn’t seem like any of you like this guy”_ ** Cloud pointed out with a huff, but sat down as he had been told to. 

“Oh we’re not going for a ‘friendly approach’. We’re simply showing them that we don’t consider them to be enough of a threat to be treated with respect” Sephiroth chuckled as his eyes glowed softly. Angeal chuckled along with him, and Genesis seemed to be doing the fox-equivalent of a cackle. 

As their laugh faded, the many shapes of the intruders became visible amongst the trees. It seemed like there were twenty humanoids rather than ten transformed, and given the constant flicks of Genesis’ ears it was likely that there were more hiding in the trees around them by now. 

Cloud struggled to stay calm and not show any form of fidgeting, but he was unable to hide some nervous flicks of his tail. Being with the other four had given him a false sense of security in the new world that he was being thrust into, and only now did it hit him how far out of his element he was. There were so many of them…! All naked and marked with different tattoos or scars. They chittered amongst themselves, seemingly communicating in a way that was personal only to them. He couldn’t see the ones near the back, but it seemed like all of the intruders had penises. He would have said that it was a group of all ‘men’, but there were many that had the curves and breasts of what he would describe as ‘women’, so he supposed it meant that these were alphas or betas. It was confusing and somewhat intimidating, but he took comfort in being surrounded by four people that he  _ knew _ .

Three of the males near the front moved forward and all sunk down into a deep bow at a respectable distance from Sephiroth and Angeal. The rest of them followed suit behind them, only they seemed to kneel and bow even deeper. 

“Oh greatest alpha of the east - Successor to Jenova the Great, Sephiroth, we humbly thank thee for coming to meet us” the one in the middle said as he stood up. Tall, bald and smelling of jackal… That was all Cloud got from him. 

“Cut the chatter” Sephiroth immediately huffed and crossed his arms across his chest. “What does Don Corneo want in my lands?”

“Ah, straight to the point as always, sire. Good, very good” the jackal said with one more deep bow. “As I am sure you are well aware, sire, winter is well on it’s way and affects the northern clans more than those down south. Our Alpha has expanded our Clan tremendously this year, and we find ourselves in need for more food than previously-”

“You mean to tell us that you bring this many of your pack to simply tell us that you would like to trade for more food?” Angeal interrupted him with a sceptical huff. “To trade, you’d only need a couple of you to carry the possible goods. Bringing this many can only be seen as an intimidation attempt”

“Ah, yes, we do see how that would be possible” the creature to the jackal’s left said (a hyena going by scent). “The subject is rather more intricate than simple food-trade however, sire. See, our Great Alpha is planning on expanding further in order to accommodate the new family members. We need all forms of resources and-”

“You want part of our territory” Sephiroth concluded, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Zack and Genesis seemed to take that as a command to stand up, so Cloud followed suit. No growling from any of them yet, but given how many of the intruders flinched it seemed like Sephiroth had been right about how their size would be perceived. 

“Great though you are, sire, surely you can recognize that a clan as small as yours has no need for a territory this large” the hyena argued, but Sephiroth cut him off with a simple flick of his hand. 

“I won’t let my territory shrink simply because Corneo doesn’t know how to keep himself in check” Sephiroth said immediately, causing several of the intruders to gasp and growl. “Your needs are none of my concern and I will not let your greed get in the way of my pack living comfortably”

“We come at a bad time, I see” the third male said (a vulture). “We did not know that you yourself had plans on expanding your pack”

“I don’t”

“Ah, then, with all due respect, sire - May I ask why you have an unmarked, pregnant omega in your possession?” the vulture asked, several of the others cackling and chittering in excitement. “We would be happy to take him off your hands”

Both Zack’s and Cloud’s hackles rose at that. They growled and bared their teeth at the implication, but seeing as Zack seemed to look to Sephiroth for instructions and permission - Cloud decided to follow his lead for now. 

“It is that kind of greed that put you in your current situation” Sephiroth replied, though there was a chill in his voice that hadn’t been there before. 

“He isn’t a possession - he’s part of our pack” Angeal growled, his pheromones growing thicker in the air. “We are more than aware of how Corneo treats his omegas and it is quite frankly disgusting. We will give you one more chance to leave peacefully even despite that. Nothing you can offer is of interest to us, I assure you”

“Are you certain? We could provide you with other omegas that your betas will accept” the vulture cooed, his gaze never leaving Cloud. 

“It is rather ironic that you criticize our alpha for his treatment of omegas when you two seem to be doing the same” the hyena agreed with a cackle. 

“He isn’t a full part of the pack if he isn’t mutually marked by all of them” the vulture pointed out again. “Truly you know this, sire”

“Wanting to have a pleasant hole to fuck is nothing shameful, sire. It is a natural response for an alpha” the jackal laughed, the other intruders joining in the laugh. 

The jackal’s laughter stopped suddenly as his head was removed from his body with one swipe of Sephiroth’s hand. There was a wet crunch followed by a soft thud as the head hit a nearby tree and the body fell to the ground. It grew terrifyingly quiet as the shock settled for everyone - quiet enough that the cracks of Sephiroth’s bloody fingers could be heard as he stretched them. 

“I believe my mate sufficiently gave you an opportunity to leave in peace. Now, you all die. I still believe I’ll be doing Corneo a favour” he purred as he licked the blood off his hand calmly. He flicked his hand once, and that was apparently the signal Zack and Genesis needed to leap forward and attack. 

The battle was nothing but chaos in Cloud’s eyes. He had never truly been in one before, and it was beyond overwhelming. The smell of blood and guts was thick in his nose as he tried to keep track of Genesis and Zack. Sephiroth and Angeal finally transformed as well, and Cloud noted to himself that this was the first time he had actually seen Angeal. He wished he could just admire him, but there was no time to do so. 

He heard shrieks and snarls from different animals, he saw Sephiroth rip the head of a hog and Angeal completely obliterated a fox with one simple swipe of his huge paw. He couldn’t see Zack or Genesis, but he could hear Zack’s huffed laughter and smell the ozone in the air as Genesis used lightning magic to take several enemies out at once. 

  
It could honestly barely be called a battle - it was a massacre.

Cloud himself mainly tried to stay away from the worst of it. The violence was quite frankly horrifying and it didn’t seem right to kill these people. To his pack, they were just enemies, but to him they were  _ people _ . He had never killed anyone or anything but animals before, and he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not that it seemed like he would have to, given how both Sephiroth and Angeal took care of the opponents dumb enough to try to target him. 

As the carnage was starting to settle down, they relaxed and Angeal shifted back into his human form as they turned to look for Zack and Genesis who had disappeared to chase any that tried to run. As they were certain that there were no living enemies around, Sephiroth and Angeal started to inspect the bodies and prepare to deal with the aftermath. It left Cloud undefended, but seeing as they had won - it seemed safe. 

Until it very much wasn’t. 

Most of the flying enemies had survived by soaring above the trees or hiding in them, and there was no way to pick up their scent in the sea of blood and gore. Because of that, neither alpha had the time to react as the vulture from earlier swooped down and took hold of Cloud, only to set back up into the sky with a victorious cry.    
If he couldn’t avenge his pack - he would make sure to take the future of Sephiroth’s as revenge. 

Cloud howled in pain and surprise as he felt the claws dig into his sides and he was picked up like that. He heard Angeal’s and Sephiroth’s horrified cries, but the vulture was fast and Sephiroth couldn’t cast spells and shift fast enough to stop him. Instead, Angeal and Sephiroth were forced to follow them on the ground, but given all the trees and uneven ground they were slower than the unhindered, flying vulture. 

Cloud kept making noises of pain and alarm as he was carried like that. It would help his pack to keep track of him, but that wasn’t really why he was doing it. He did it because he was scared and in pain as scenario after scenario plagued his mind. 

He was going to die…! Him and the little flickers of life inside him were all going to die if he didn’t  _ do _ something-!

He twisted and turned as much as he could, his mind working at the speed of light to come up with something. The longer he waited, the further away he got from the safety of their territory, and the less the chance of him being saved grew. Even if they caught up with him, Genesis wouldn’t be able to fire off any spells in their direction without risking him, and Cloud knew that. He had to get himself out of this, and he had to do it soon. 

The vulture’s legs were thin enough, and he figured that he should be able to break one of them if only he had his hands free. Shifting to a smaller, more fragile form while high up in the air and held in a pair of razor sharp claws wasn’t ideal, but it seemed to be his only option. 

He made up his mind and took one deep breath before transforming in the vulture’s grasp. He twisted and took hold of the thin bird leg with both of his hands. He distantly registered a sharp pain on the left side of his chest, but the adrenaline helped him ignore it as he put all his strength into snapping the bone in his hands. He may be smaller, but he still had the strength of a wolf, and just as he had planned the bone broke from the pressure he put on it. 

The vulture let out a loud screech of agony and lost both it’s balance and it’s grip on Cloud. It veered too far to the side, and the two hit several branches in nearby trees before tumbling to the forest floor. The many leaves softened the blow somewhat, but Cloud still coughed as all air was slammed out of his lungs when he hit the ground. He could feel the rush of adrenaline slowly leave his body as the cold seeped into his bare skin, and he knew that he needed to move. When he tried to do so however, the sharp pain in his chest brought him back down to his knees and he slumped against a tree. 

He didn’t dare to look down at himself, but based on the sharp pain and the warm wetness that grew with every pulse of pain he knew it couldn’t be good. The flickers of life inside him still pulsed on as strong as before, even as his own energy drained, and though he was scared he did take some comfort in that. At least his children were alright for now. 

He suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him and, hoping his pack had found him, he turned around to look. The hope died in his chest however, as the rustling sound came from the now humanoid vulture making his way towards him with a murderous gaze. He obviously couldn’t walk on one of his legs as it dragged uselessly behind him. Instead, he seemed to use the trees as support in order to make his way to Cloud. 

Cloud who couldn’t move and was gradually growing more and more dizzy as he was losing blood with every beat of his frantic heart. 

“You little bitch…! How  _ dare _ you!?” the vulture snarled as he hobbled closer, quite literally frothing at the mouth with fury. “ _ I’ll kill you _ …!!! I’ll kill you and that tiger’s fucking spawn-!!”

He tried to push himself further away from the other with a terrified wail, but the vulture was faster than him even like this. Within moments the other male was upon him, with his hands squeezing hard and tight around Cloud’s neck. He wheezed and squirmed in his panic, but the alpha was larger than him and had the upper hand in this. 

Cloud kept trying to gasp for breath and buck the vulture off, but it was no use. His struggles grew sluggish and weak as darkness seemed to close in on him.

Just as he was about to lose consciousness however, a loud and sharp howl could be heard nearby. Moments later, the vulture was knocked off him by a large black blur. Cloud immediately drew in deep breaths and ended up coughing violently as the air suddenly rushed into his lungs. He was still dizzy and disoriented, but he had recognized that howl. 

Zack had come to save him…! As he coughed, trying to stay awake, he could smell the lovely, homey smell of ginger next to him. 

“G-Genesi-...!”

“Hush, don’t talk” Genesis ordered him sharply as he kneeled next to the poor battered omega. A lovely warmth spread through Cloud’s limbs, and he could feel the pain in his body slowly fade. With a relieved sigh and a hand on his belly, Cloud fell unconscious in the arms of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEAUTIFUL art of the boys + Special someone: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1284954016603090949?s=19
> 
> Wonderful depiction of Genesis and Cloud being little shits in chapter 4: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1289959685366439943?cxt=HHwWhICoxaTj7eYjAAAA
> 
> Genesis helping Cloud with the nesting in chapter 15! : https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1300810296265781249
> 
> My own cute lil piece of just... The boys being beans in a pile: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291388469936369665?cxt=HHwWgsC9mZW-9-sjAAAA
> 
> A portrait of how Zack looks in this particular fic: https://twitter.com/MaironAdmirable/status/1291366873167212547?cxt=HHwWhsC13YjV7esjAAAA


	18. No longer naïve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pack deals with the aftermath of the attack and the attempt to murder Cloud. To mate or not to mate - Many important questions are brought up and some are answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again everyone!
> 
> I am terribly sorry about the long hiatus, especially following an accidental cliffhanger! I got like REALLY sick suddenly (not the C, not to worry) and couldn't leave my bed to do anything but drink water and eat some oatmeal. So I've been dealing with that for a week and a half, and before that it was honestly just a little difficult to figure out what to put in this chapter.
> 
> We are getting closer to the actual birth of the pups and I feel like I need to put down some disclaimers/things you can expect: 
> 
> This will NOT be a pregnancy-kink fic. There will be no graphic birth, nothing too graphic concerning the babs while Cloud is pregnant, and no sexualization of his state of being. This is mainly because I, the author, happen to have a horrible body dysphoria going on concerning pregnancies and it would squick me out to write about it, which means I'd do a shitty job, aaaaaaand nobody would be happy about it.  
> So with that in mind - why babies?   
> Because it is going to be FUCKING PRECIOUS when we get there, and it is worth it XD
> 
> Right, I've rambled enough I think! 
> 
> Thank you for your patience and support <3 Hope you're all doing as well as you can in these dark times! Have some soft <3

When Cloud woke up, his first thought was that he was warm. Incredibly warm. That thought was swiftly followed by confusion about where he was and what had happened. He grunted and tried to shift around, only to realize that it was difficult to do so because of a heavy weight on top of him. He was still tired and wouldn’t have minded to fall back asleep, but now he was curious about what was going on. 

He blinked and opened his eyes, taking in the grey ceiling above him. His vision was slightly covered by something black and soft, and as he looked down at his body - he could basically only see a familiar ginger fur. 

Oh. Well that explained it. 

Genesis was literally sleeping on top of him, curled up in a bundle with his head propped up under Cloud’s chin. As he was in his fox-form, he was smaller and lighter than when he was a human, but he was still the size of a rather large dog. He was snoring lightly into Cloud’s ear, and a similar noise was coming from his other side. He glanced to that side, and found himself face-to-face with Zack’s pretty wolf-face. He was sleeping as well, snoring louder than Genesis did, and Cloud was briefly baffled at how he could have slept through the two of them snoring into his ears like that.

Cloud kept shifting a little, trying to remember what had happened. He remembered the five of them going to see the intruders and the following massacre. He could remember being picked up and the terror, but-

His eyes widened and he instinctively tried to sit up again to have a good look at himself. He had been hurt…! Something had happened to him, he remembered bleeding from his chest... His body was aching, and there  _ was _ a light throbbing in his side, but nothing compared to what it should have been. 

Genesis let out a tired, displeased chittering as he was jostled and moved like that. He jolted awake once he realized why he was being jostled, however, and perked up so he could look into Cloud’s eyes properly. 

“ **_Cloud…! You’re awake!_ ** ” he cried out happily, and then started to lick his face with happy wags of his tail and quite a bit of squirming. He somehow managed to avoid the damaged area of Cloud’s chest, so Cloud accepted the display of affection and relief happily. He kissed the side of Genesis’ snout when he could reach, but mostly he let Genesis do the greeting. 

He didn’t realize that it would start a chain reaction but it seemed like it did. The movements woke Zack up, and once he too realized that Cloud was awake - He joined in. His sloppy kisses of joy covered far more of Cloud’s face than Genesis’ did, and somewhere next to him he could feel the huge, bushy tail wag like crazy. Cloud couldn’t help but laugh as warm joy filled his chest at the happy greeting. It felt good to be so cared for when he himself felt weak and confused, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud.

“Morning, guys” Cloud murmured, his voice hoarse from sleeping and the attack. He realized that he was sleeping against Zack rather than pillows and could basically feel the large body buzz and twitch with eager energy.They tried not to overwhelm him, but it was clear that Zack wanted to do more than just lay there and lick his face.

A grumble coming from his other side showed that the excited, wagging tail had woken Angeal up. Only then did Cloud realize that the entire pack was there in bed with him - not just the betas. Angeal had apparently decided to curl up around them with his humongous bear-body, and only woke up because the bushy tail kept hitting him in the face. He yawned and blinked awake slowly. Once he too saw that Cloud was awake (no one could sleep through Zack’s eager kisses after all), it was his turn to greet him by leaning in to lick his face lovingly with a happy growl. His tongue was literally large enough to cover Cloud’s entire face, and the spit made his hair stand up in more spikes than before. Still, it made him laugh and he leaned up to press their foreheads together with a happy growl of his own. 

“Didn’t mean to wake you, big guy” he murmured and scratched Angeal lovingly behind his cute, round ears. It earned him another happy rumble, until Genesis started to playfully snap at his fingers in order to demand he get some scratches as well. Luckily Cloud had two hands so he could pay attention to the both of them, but when Zack whined in his ear and licked his cheek, there was nothing he could do but laugh.    
“You’re all so greedy” he teased with a yawn. 

“ **_We were worried about you, dumbass_ ** ” Zack pointed out as he pressed their cheeks together. “ **_You had a hole through your chest and have been out for two days now -_ ** **of course** **_we’re happy to see you awake!_ ** ”

Cloud’s eyes widened at that and his hands stilled in shock. Two days…!? A hole through his chest-!?

“ **_I patched you up, sunshine, don’t worry_ ** ” Genesis chirped, pressing his cold, wet nose against Cloud’s chin.  **_“It took quite a lot of energy, mind you. How are you feeling?”_ **

“I’m… Warm” he replied, still too startled by the new information to answer with anything else. 

**_“Makes sense. We’ve been sleeping like this for some time now”_ ** Angeal rumbled and yawned. It did explain why he was so warm and why he felt as safe as he did, but there was someone missing…

**_“Seph is here too, but he’s out like a light”_ ** Zack explained when he saw that Cloud was glancing around, and tension Cloud hadn’t known was there immediately melted away.  **_“He’s been working nonstop since we found you and he’s exhausted”_ **

Cloud nodded at that, swallowing as he tried to gather his thoughts enough to actually give Genesis a proper answer, and also get some answers himself. 

“I’m feeling fine. I’m a little tired and aching I guess, but it’s nothing too bad” he said, finally giving both Zack and Genesis their ear scratches.    
“What happened though? I can’t remember too much after the vulture grabbed me”

None of them seemed too eager to talk about it based on the way they growled and bared their teeth, but Angeal found his voice the quickest.

**_“We thought we had lost you”_ ** he admitted, leaning in to nuzzle against Cloud’s cheek as if to reassure himself that Cloud was, in fact, there and alive.  **_“The vulture was fast and there was nothing we could do to reach it that far up, but luckily Genesis and Zack saw you break that thing’s leg and they could rush to take care of you on the ground”_ **

“What happened to it?” Cloud asked carefully, kissing the side of Zack’s snout as the other male started growling again. 

**_“That piece of shit is still alive”_ ** Zack growled, much to Cloud’s surprise.  **_“We’re keeping him locked up for now. He hurt you, so you should get to decide what happens to him”_ **

**_“Tradition says you get to eat his heart”_ ** Genesis chirped in, with a sharp grin. **_“But we understand if you don’t want to do that, of course. The whole culture thing and whatnot”_ **

**_“Right. So it only felt right that you should be the one to decide what to do…”_ ** Angeal huffed, though part of him was clearly displeased. 

**_“We had to convince the big guys that it was the right thing to do”_ ** Zack chuckled.  **_“They were obsessed with the need for our omega and the pups to get the right kind of vengeance and energy”_ **

“I… Thank you” Cloud murmured, trying to take all of that information in and figure out what to do with it. Of course he would be expected to eat the damn thing, and part of him was tempted to. That creature had hurt him, had endangered his children, and put his mates through the grief of thinking they would lose him. He realized that he did want vengeance. He wanted the fucker to die… But he didn’t want to eat him. 

“... You’re right that I don’t want to eat him” he admitted, trying not to be bothered by the disappointment the others must be feeling as he said it, and instead he explained himself. “That… That vulture was trying to kill me, or worse. He targeted the children - he said so himself. I do hate him and want him gone. But I also don’t want him inside me in any form of way. Not just because he’s a shifter, but because I wouldn’t want such disgusting scum to be part of me”

That seemed to surprise the rest of them honestly - Genesis even seemed a little proud of him. 

**_“Is that so? Well I suppose that makes sense”_ ** he chittered, licking Cloud’s cheek.  **_“So what do we do then? Rip his head off and be done with it?”_ **

“No… I would… I would like for the four of you to have him in my place” he said, once again startling them with how blunt he was in his unexpected requests. 

**_“Really? You’re sure?”_ ** Zack asked, worried that Cloud would be pushing himself to adapt to their world a little too fast for comfort. Angeal seemed to share his worries as he nodded in agreement. 

  
**_“You don’t have to push yourself for us, Cloud. You have been through enough - We should be your safe haven. We understand that our circumstances are very special, even if our instincts don’t recognize that”_ ** he said, leaning in to nuzzle him again. This time however, he did it as a human. It was growing difficult to move and shift around on the bed in his large form, and he couldn’t wait to get close enough to nuzzle Cloud’s neck and kiss his cheeks. 

“I appreciate it” Cloud said with a small smile, truly meaning it as he returned the affectionate snuggles. “But I promise, I’m not. You  _ are _ my safe haven, and that was…. I hadn’t realized how much of a safe haven you were until they came. I may have felt awkward around you, flustered and angry about cultural differences, but it was naïve of me to think that you weren’t sheltering me from the rest of predator society” he admitted.    
“I was lucky enough to end up with you guys. I  _ am _ lucky to have you all and I didn’t realized how-how privileged and bratty it made me seem to be so… So averse to your ways. I… I don’t want to be that way anymore. I can’t be stuck doing this in-the-middle thing where I treat this as if it’s just temporary”

**_“But… You haven’t been doing that, have you?”_ ** Zack asked carefully, rather confused but also somewhat touched by what Cloud was saying. 

“I think I have” Cloud admitted, thinking back to how he had just accepted everything as objective facts they were telling him about their culture. Not as a predator himself, but as someone who was simply there for a visit and gathering knowledge without intending to apply it to himself. “I… The more I think about it, the more I realize that I’ve kept thinking of it as a ‘you’ and a ‘we’... But I’m not part of that ‘we’ anymore. I’m part of a new ‘we’, or rather I would like to be. If my betas will have me”

**_“That… Was a very roundabout and complicated way of asking us to mate you”_ ** Genesis laughed in approval.  **_“I suppose that could be arranged”_ **

“Is it just because that filth said you didn’t belong with us as long as you aren’t fully marked?” Angeal asked with a frown. Of course he wanted Cloud to fully join them, but he didn’t want it to be because of some taunting from a lowlife like one of Corneo’s mates. “You haven’t been here too long - it makes sense that some things are difficult to apply to yourself”

“Well, Genesis did say that I would have to be marked by everyone in order to stay” Cloud pointed out, and Genesis let out an uncertain whine. 

**_“I mean yeah, but I was a little stressed. I won’t force a mating - I’m not a fucking hog”_ **

“Let me put it this way then - I have like, two months to come to terms with this whole thing and then we’ll all be parents whether we’re mated or not” Cloud said with a shrug. “The moment we realized that I’m pregnant was the moment I lost the luxury of thinking of this as a temporary thing. So why not make it properly official with all of us?”

No one really had an argument to make against that, because it was true. They had all known it, had been happy for it, but being so close to losing both Cloud and the cubs made it more real than it had previously seemed. 

“I’d be happy to be your mate as long as you’re sure it’s what you want, Cloudy” Zack assured him with a lick to the blond’s cheek. He shifted into a human as well, and moved so that he laid pressed up against his side instead of acting as his pillow. With Angeal on one side, Zack on the other, Genesis on his chest and Sephiroth finally visible in a white, striped lump on the other side of Zack, Cloud felt his determination grow. He felt safer than he ever had (ironically given the recent attack) and he felt wanted. 

“I do. I really do. I’m just sorry it took so long and that my life had to be put at risk for me to realize that I wanted it” Cloud admitted with a sheepish look. Zack let out a happy huff however and tugged Cloud into a proper kiss. It wasn’t their first kiss, per se, but it was the first time they did such a thing in front of the others and it felt like a big step. It always felt so good to kiss Zack and it felt even better now that he didn’t feel like he had to hide it. 

Angeal wouldn’t be outdone however, and once the two decided to catch their breaths, he took a gentle hold of Cloud’s chin and turned him towards him for a kiss of his own. Angeal was larger and stronger than Zack and though his lips weren’t quite as soft, he more than made up for it with his technique and the simple passion he somehow managed to pour into the simple press of their lips against each other. Angeal was rumbling in a pleased growl, and Cloud couldn’t help but shiver at the sound of his mate being happy with him. 

Genesis didn’t seem to be content with simply watching them, so before long he grabbed Cloud’s attention by shifting into his human form while still on top of him. The sudden increase in weight and mass on top of him had Cloud grunting in surprise, but he was unable to hold back a tiny moan as Genesis rolled his hips forward to press them together. Neither was hard yet, but the touch was teasing enough to get a reaction. 

  
“Don’t forget about me, pet” Genesis purred as he leaned in to kiss Cloud as well, making sure to go deep and wet in order to put on a show for the other two. He enjoyed kissing passionately, and it became more and more difficult to deny that he loved watching the omega fall apart under his touches. 

Cloud clearly did his best to match the pace Genesis set - not about to be outdone by the beta. He didn’t know what to do with the fact that he now had a mental list over which one of the four had the softest lips, but here he was. At the top, clearly, was Genesis, and he found that he loved that deceptive softness with it’s hidden sharpness as Genesis was quite a fan of nipping and biting while kissing. 

“Really? You can’t keep yourselves in check even as he’s recovering from his injuries?”

Cloud startled at the sudden sound of Sephiroth’s voice, but Genesis simply rolled his eyes before looking over at his shoulder at their now-human mate. 

“Relax, Seph. He said he’s feeling fine. It was just some kissing” 

“You’re literally on top of him, Genesis” Sephiroth pointed out but crawled closer, still with that feline grace even despite his current form. He sat down next to Angeal who wrapped an arm around his waist, and simply seemed to observe Cloud. His eyes darted between different points of his body, and Cloud noticed that his gaze tended to linger at where he had been stabbed as well as his belly. 

“I’m fine, Sephiroth. Don’t worry” Cloud assured him, causing him to flinch briefly and let out a sigh. He too leaned down to place a light kiss on Cloud’s lips, but quickly pulled back. 

“Forgive me for being unable to follow that particular request just yet. I would rather not experience the terror of thinking we would lose you and the cubs again” he said, earning himself a comforting rumble and nuzzle from Angeal. 

Both of them had been beyond distraught and panicked when they finally caught up with their pack. The smell of blood in the air had been so cloyingly thick, the small omega had seemed so pale, cold and fragile where he laid in Genesis’ arms. They hadn’t known if he would make it - they hadn’t known if the cubs had made it, and Sephiroth had beaten himself up for it the past two days. Angeal had held him while he cried the first night, just petting his pretty hair as the betas cared for Cloud as he was unconscious.

_ “It’s my fault! I should have paid more attention - Cloud would be fine now if I hadn’t become too stupidly confident in my ability to protect my family” _

“How about a compromise?” Angeal suggested, Sephiroth’s sobbed words clear in his mind no matter how much he would enjoy seeing Zack and Genesis mate with Cloud. His arousal had to take a backseat to the emotional wellbeing of his beloved after all.   
“We’re all a little worked up from both relief and terror right now. I think it would do us well to simply enjoy each other’s company without taking huge, life-changing decisions before we’ve fully thought it through. Besides, Cloud does still need to heal” he pointed out. Genesis refused to move, perhaps out of spite, but he didn’t try to tease Cloud sexually anymore at least.    
“I know you didn’t want us to make rules for you, and you are more than allowed to say no, but I think it would ease all our tension quite well if we just relaxed and took care of each other until we all feel steady enough to take the next steps of our relationship”

Genesis sighed at that again, as did Zack, though Genesis somehow seemed more petulant than Zack when he did it. 

“You’re right” Zack grumbled, nuzzling against Cloud’s neck still. 

“Of course he is. He’s always right when it comes to righteous and healthy bullshit” Genesis agreed, though there was no venom in his voice and Angeal didn’t take any offense to it. “Fine. We’ll wait until we can mate him properly. I wouldn’t want to hold back out of fear of hurting him anyway”

“You know you are allowed to show that you care without pretending that you’re an egocentric bitch, right?” Zack teased, earning himself a playful swat from the fox. 

“That’s vixen to you, pup”

“You sure act like a vixen alright”

“Angeal said no sex - back off”

The banter could have kept going forever, which Cloud knew by now. Because of that, he simply cleared his throat to get their attention. 

“Listen, the two of you can fuck if you need to get rid of tension and stress, but I do thing Angeal is right” Cloud admitted, causing said alpha to let out a relieved sigh. “I… Was stingy about not being ‘allowed’ to leave before, but I’d say almost being kidnapped and eaten by a vulture changes your worldview just a little” he tried to joke. “I won’t argue against common sense - I just didn’t know what common sense was in this culture so…”

“You know that the whole world isn’t out to get you, right?” Genesis asked, quirking an eyebrow up as he looked down at the omega (that he was still lounging on top of). 

“Well duh. You sure seem to be, but you aren’t scary enough to hide from” Cloud teased back, causing Zack to snort as Genesis let out an indignant noise. 

“Why you insolent little-!”

“Genesis” Sephiroth said sharply, knowing the signs of an incoming grapple-fight with Genesis by now and needing to stop him before it got that far. He knew Genesis wasn’t actually angry, but even just play-fighting could be detrimental to Cloud’s health at that point. 

“As Angeal suggested, we should simply stay where we are right now and sleep properly now that we know Cloud is well enough to be awake and throw sass at Genesis” he went on, the last words fading off into a big yawn. “We can discuss mating and family planning when we’ve all rested and after our guest has been dealt with. Agreed?”

A choir of different sounds of agreement mixed with yawns answered his question and so Sephiroth was content to stretch out and make himself comfortable in Angeal’s arms. The five of them fell asleep almost as one. Cloud was the last one awake - Able to hear the sound of his family’s breaths growing long and even in sleep. He noted that two of them snored, though he couldn’t pinpoint who in the dark.

He was a little bruised and damaged but none worse for the wear. With his entire family wrapped around him, he wrapped his own arms around his belly as much as he could before settling in to sleep. 

It simply felt right that the pups should be embraced as well, and Cloud fell asleep with a small smile on his lips. 


	19. Blood and magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time flies when you're having fun and preparing for cubs.   
> Also, proper mating has to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!! Thank you all for your brilliant comments and replies to the earlier chapters <3 They warm my heart as always!
> 
> No real triggers for this particular chapter, I think. There is some talking, some chilling and also some sex and biting. 
> 
> I WILL note however that the word and concept of Gender Dysphoria is said outright in this chapter. They have previously discussed dysphoria, but I haven't actually put the actual words out there until now.   
> Am I projecting some of my NB dysphoria onto Cloud?   
> Probably. But hey, what can you do XD
> 
> Next chapter will be hella special ;) But enjoy the bonding and softness!

It took about a week of resting and near-constant cuddling with Cloud for the five of them to decide that he was well enough to get up and move around. They had made sure that two people were with Cloud at all times, while the other two patrolled their area. They didn’t think Corneo would be stupid enough to attempt any form of attack since he lost such a large part of his pack to the five of them already. He may be disgusting, reprehensible and manipulative, but he wasn’t stupid. Still, there was no way of knowing for sure and they would all rather be safe than sorry. 

As for the vulture, Zack asked if Cloud wanted to be present when they killed him, but he immediately turned down that offer. 

“Don’t you want him to see who gives the order about killing him?” Zack asked, as if it was a completely normal thing to ask someone. For all Cloud knew - It might very well  _ have _ been. 

“No” Cloud huffed, not looking up from the book he was reading. “That would be honorable, right? He doesn’t deserve it. You guys go do what you need to do, but I don’t want to ever see him again”

Genesis and Sephiroth seemed downright proud of that, even if Angeal hesitated initially. Honor was a big thing for him, after all, and to have it so blatantly rejected by one of his mates rubbed him the wrong way. At least until Sephiroth reminded him of what the Vulture had been planning on doing. Whether he agreed or not, he would do it for Cloud and for their children without question. 

“We’ll make sure he knows he’s too worthless for you to pay attention to” Genesis cooed and peppered Cloud’s face with kisses despite his half-hearted protests. 

In the end, they reported back to him that everything had gone according to plan. Zack and Genesis had shared the heart (seeing as they both saved him), Sephiroth and Angeal shared the rest of the body, and everything else was thrown out to be picked up by scavengers. Sure, the feathers and bones could have been used for something, but Cloud didn’t want any part of the creature in their home at all. 

Once two weeks had passed after the incident, Cloud dared to go outside again. Not alone, but he had been going a little stir-crazy and developed a strange craving for chewing on pine. The rest of the pack offered to bring him some, but he argued that he wanted to get it for himself as long as he actually could. Snow had begun to fall, so Zack and him often tumbled around and played in what little snow there was. They were certain that it would reach above their knees before the next moon, at which point Cloud wouldn’t be able to come outside anymore. Because of that, they made sure to use whatever time they had to make sure he got to explore and stretch his legs. 

Because of the cold, the five generally never moved around outside as humans. Zack’s and Cloud’s furs were more than able to keep the wet and cold out however - Even when they tumbled around and rolled around in it with playful bites and nips. They even played what could only be described as hide-and-seek quite often. Zack had an easier time hiding at night given his dark coat, but Cloud was nearly invisible in the snow, so they were an even match. 

The others  _ did _ go out with Cloud as well, but only Zack seemed to find the weather pleasurable at all. Angeal and Sephiroth accepted the cold walks though neither seemed to enjoy it, and Genesis just straight up complained about it whenever he was out until one of his mates picked him up and carried him on their backs.    
Not because he couldn’t handle the cold, but because he didn’t want to and didn’t technically have to. At least, that’s what he kept saying whenever someone teased him about it. 

What work Genesis wouldn’t do outside the home was more than made up for by how diligently he helped prepare their home for cubs. Cloud was accepting of the cubs by now and had even started to talk to them occasionally, both of the alphas were excited and tended to hover, but Genesis was downright  _ obsessed _ . 

He had single-handedly carved out a small room next to their main bed chamber which he had dubbed the ‘cub chamber’. He used his heat and magic to make sure that every single surface was as smooth as could be, repurposed many of their furs into soft carpets for the floor and carved out a little pen for the pups in one of the corners. He knew better than to attempt to build Cloud’s nest for him, but he did make sure to gather as many soft things as he possibly could. Not only from the rest of their beds, but also stuff from his personal collection of Human Things. Pillows, soft fabrics, cloths, clothes and cloaks were all thrown in there in order to make the perfect birth- and cub-pen. Or as Zack had dubbed it: The Cub Corner. 

It was - quite frankly - a bit overwhelming to Cloud.

He found himself sleeping more and more as the days passed by, often accompanied by Angeal who always slept quite a lot during the winters. Packs of bear shifters often fully hibernated, but seeing as Angeal was the only bear in a pack that also happened to be getting ready for cubs - He did his best to limit the need to sleep overly much. 

Another month passed in the blink of an eye, and Cloud was starting to panic just a little bit. The betas and him still hadn’t properly mated, he felt hormonal, tired and hungry all the time, and at least one part of his body ached all the  _ fucking _ time. He avoided moving around as a human as often as he could because he had started to show by now, and it freaked him out. 

He loved the little lights in him. He loved the cubs, and he had definitely cried the day he had been able to hear their little heartbeats for the first time.    
That didn’t change the fact that the sense of  _ wrong _ slammed into him every time he looked down at his human body and saw something there that  _ shouldn’t be there _ .    
Children or no children - he refused to look at himself as often as he possibly could.

Naturally, his pack accepted it. The issues that come with body dysphoria were known to them thanks to Genesis after all, and if Cloud was more comfortable as a wolf - Nobody would push him out of that form. 

It did - however - cause slight issues with the whole ‘becoming proper mates’ thing. 

“Cloud -  _ Babe _ \- It’s not that I don’t think you’re beautiful as you are now” Zack argued when Wolf-Cloud tried to nuzzle up to him and nip at his neck suggestively one night. “It’s just… The mating is supposed to be special and I want to be able to see your face while we do it”

**_“You can still see my face”_ **

“The  _ other _ one” Zack groaned, pushing the pushy wolf away as much as he could. “Besides, I wouldn’t be able to see even  _ this _ face if I were to mount you”

Cloud had nothing to say against that because he knew that Zack was right. Instead, he settled for grumbling and growling at the beta underneath him. 

“If you want to play around in that form later on we can  _ absolutely _ do that, but not our first time” Zack tried to argue, pressing little kisses along the side of Cloud’s face as he scratched him lovingly behind the ears. Cloud was clearly still somewhat displeased, but Zack managed to coax a rumbling purr out of him at least. 

**_“I just… I don’t want to have to look at myself like that”_ ** Cloud finally admitted, even though it wasn’t really a secret. The pack knew why, even if Cloud himself had a hard time talking about it with anyone that wasn’t Genesis. The rest of them couldn’t relate after all, and while they supported him - they didn’t understand the way Genesis did. Knowing this, Zack’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat at the display of trust Cloud was showing him. 

“I know, Spiky” he purred and hugged the large wolf even closer as he nuzzled into the side of his neck. At least he could feel Cloud’s tail wag lazily against his feet, which settled some of his worries.    
“I’m okay with waiting until the cubs are here. There’s no need to stress”

**_“But after they’re here, we’ll all be too busy to do it, and then what?”_ ** Cloud argued.

“Yeah but we still don’t have to do it unless we want to. I’m alright with waiting a couple of years for you if that’s what it takes. You’re worth the wait”

Had Cloud been a human at that point, he would have blushed. Or rather, had he been human his blush would have been visible rather than hidden under a soft layer of fur. His tail started to wag a little faster and he licked Zack’s face affectionately as thanks.

**_“It means a lot to hear it”_ ** he admitted, before making sure to turn his head away from Zack. **_“... But I want it now. I want us to be proper mates… You’re gonna be one of the dads for my children and-and… I_ ** **really** **_like you”_ **

Zack groaned into his neck and hugged him tight enough that even wolf-Cloud let out a little surprised yip. 

“Cloud…! You can’t just say sweet things like that when you don’t have a mouth I can kiss properly, you little shit…!” he whined, kissing Cloud’s wolf-face wherever he could reach until the omega let out a little huff of a laugh. 

**_“You started it”_ **

“Like I give a shit! You made it worse!”

**_“Oh so_ ** **you** **_get to say that you would wait for years to become my mate because I’m worth it, but_ ** **I** **_can’t say I like you?”_ **

“Nope!”

**_“What kind of sense does that make?!”_ **

“ _ My _ kind of sense! You’re Cloud! You’re cute! Adding sweet to the cute just fucking breaks me!”

“Just  _ fuck _ already!”

Both wolves startled as they heard Genesis’ exclamation from the doorway. Genesis walked closer to the bed, looking down at them with an unimpressed gaze and his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Seriously, this is growing painful to watch. I had forgotten how much of a cheesy flirt you are, Zackary”

“Piss off, Gen” Zack huffed, hiding his red cheeks in Cloud’s fur again. “This is a private conversation so could you just not?”

“No, I don’t think I will. The whole mating thing includes me as well, doesn’t it? And if the two of you can’t manage it on your own, no matter how much you both want it, then I suppose I will just have to step in and help” Genesis hummed as he sat down on the bed next to them. 

**_“But how do we get around the issue of me being unwilling to look at myself as human?”_ ** Cloud asked, leaning into the casual head scratches he got from Genesis.  **_“I really want this but I’m just… I’m scared”_ **

“I know, my sweet, but I’m sure we can help you with that” Genesis cooed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

“How?” Zack asked, more than eager to find a way to help Cloud. 

“We distract you, of course. The issue is that you don’t want to look at yourself, right? So we make sure to kiss you, or distract you so thoroughly that you won’t see anything but our handsome faces” Genesis grinned and gestured to his own face with the flair of a hand. 

“... That solution sounds almost too simple” Zack laughed, but also found that he agreed with it. “I mean I’d be more than willing to try it out?”

Cloud was silent as he considered it. Genesis was technically right, but there were still risks that had to be considered.    
**_“What if I can’t help it? What if I see it when I look at you? It’ll always be in the corner of my vision no matter what”_ **

“We can simply put a blindfold on you. There’s no need for you to abstain from something you truly want when the solution to the problem is this easy” Genesis argued. “I have several prepared in this room already for when we feel like playing with them. It just hasn’t been relevant since you moved in”

Zack almost looked giddy at the thought of putting a blindfold on Cloud, and he couldn’t help but let out an eager growl at the suggestion. Still, he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to push Cloud into doing something he wouldn’t be comfortable with. Luckily, Cloud did not in agreement after some more consideration, and Zack immediately peppered his face with happy kisses. 

**_“Fine. That… That sounds like it could work. I want to try”_ ** Cloud said, letting Zack indulge in the need to pamper him. 

“Wanna do it right now, sunshine? Or some other time?” Zack asked, just to be on the safe side while Genesis headed off into a chest in the corner of the room to fetch both oil and a blindfold. 

**_“I literally just tried to convince you to fuck me like this, Zack. I’m more than willing right now”_ ** he admitted, though his blush was once again hidden behind his fur. Zack laughed loudly at that, and Genesis even snickered as he joined them on the bed again. 

“Such a naughty little wolf we have in our bed” he cooed, leaning in to press a kiss to Zack’s lips. “Whatever shall we do to him~?”

“I prefer to do a lot of things  _ with _ him” Zack teased back, nipping at Genesis’ lips. “But first, he needs to shift” he added, turning to Cloud with a soft gaze.    
“Close your eyes before you do, babe. I promise I’ll be right there and give you a treat when you do. You won’t have to risk anything”

Cloud let out one last nervous huff before doing what he was told. He closed his eyes, shifted and then sat back up on his knees; still straddling Zack’s lap.    
Genesis trilled gently to let Cloud know where he was, and then he carefully tied the blindfold in place with an elegant knot. 

“Does that feel alright? Can you see anything?” Genesis asked, putting a hand just under Cloud’s chin to cover his belly from his sight just in case the blindfold hadn’t been put in place properly. They had promised him that they wouldn’t risk it, and Genesis would stand by that. 

Zack would too, if only his brain hadn’t completely fried momentarily from seeing Cloud blindfolded and straddling him. 

“No, I’m… I’m fine” Cloud assured them, tilting his head and looking around the room as if to try it out properly. He let out a little surprised yip as Genesis suddenly tugged him into a kiss, teasing and soft. Zack once again let out a little excited growl and sat up as well, starting to kiss and nip along Cloud’s neck and jaw that were so beautifully turned to him thanks to Genesis’ gentle hold. 

Nothing was too extreme yet, but Cloud found himself surprised by how much the blindfold actually affected him. The gentle kisses and nips were felt way more keenly than he normally would, and he let out a soft moan against Genesis’ lips as he could feel Zack steadily growing hard against his thigh.    
He didn’t quite know why, but his whole body felt so much more sensitive than it usually did, and he was unable to hold back a pleasured cry when Zack rubbed his nipples with his thumbs.The simple touches seemed to send jolts up and down his spine, before settling hot and heavy between his legs. 

“Such a pretty pet” Genesis cooed against his ear, before nipping at it gently - sending another jolt through Cloud and coaxing a gasp from his lips. 

“The prettiest” Zack agreed breathlessly, squeezing and rubbing at Cloud’s ass while he leaned down to suck at one of the now-perky nipples. He could feel the warm wetness of Cloud’s arousal against his thigh, and he was completely unable to hold back a steady stream of aroused growls as he bucked up to rub their cocks against each other. 

Cloud was honestly almost embarrassed by how easily they were reducing him to an aroused mess. Every touch seemed to stoke the fire inside him, every bite causing him to throb, and he found himself gasping for air like a fish on land.    
His whole body felt sensitive and hot - Every kiss it’s own, tiny orgasm. 

“I…! I want…! Oh  _ fuck- _ ” he gasped as Zack rolled his hips again. “Zack, _ please _ …-! I want-... I want you inside me”

Zack let out a low animalistic snarl at that, his cock throbbing eagerly at the plea. How could he deny such a sweet request after all?

Part of him wanted to flip Cloud onto all fours and mount him like the wolves they were, but it didn’t feel right. Not tonight. Tonight, he wanted to be able to look at his pretty little mate’s face the first time he took him. He put his arm around Cloud’s waist and hoisted him up just a little so he could position himself with his cock against Cloud’s wet pussy. He reached up to press a sloppy kiss to Cloud’s lips as he slowly lowered him onto his rigid cock. As Zack pressed further and further in, both of them let out breathless gasps.    
Given how wet Cloud was, it wasn’t long before he was fully seated onto Zack, and they both stopped to take deep breaths. 

It had only been a couple of months, but to them it felt as though years of pining had finally lead up to this moment. Zack, completely surrounded by Cloud’s wet heat, and Cloud, full of Zack’s hard, throbbing cock. Both desperately wanted to move, but also knew that if they did it would be over too soon. Cloud could cum more than once, but he wanted to save it. Zack would need some time to recover, and he didn’t want to embarrass himself by spilling too early.

It was only when Genesis grew impatient and swatted Cloud’s ass lightly that they rocked into motion. 

Zack rocked up deep and steady, his gaze fixed on Cloud’s beautiful, flushed face. His mouth hung open as he panted with pleasure, and Zack made note of every twitch or frown that showed how Cloud felt. He was so focused on Cloud’s pleasure that he was almost surprised to find that he himself was rushing closer and closer to the edge of his orgasm. He hadn’t even realized that he was speeding up, but now that his focus shifted, he became almost painfully aware of how close he was. 

He moved faster and faster, allowing his growling to grow louder as he tried to communicate with Cloud and tell him what was about to happen. Cloud responded with a growling chirp of his own, and they both leaned in to nuzzle the other’s scent glands. Zack would bite into the same as Angeal had, which left Sephiroth’s side for Genesis. The positioning made sure that Cloud got access to bite into the scent gland that only had Sephiroth’s mark since earlier, as Angeal and Genesis had bitten the other one. 

They soon lost themselves even further in the fog of pleasure, and after just a couple of more thrusts they came together with muffled howls as they bit deep into each other’s necks. The coppery taste of blood mingled with the tang and tingle of the magic inherent to the mating bond, and both were so overwhelmed that they simply had to cling to each other to anchor themselves. 

Once they both finally let go, Zack started laughing breathlessly. He almost sounded high, and honestly he sort of felt like it. His head was spinning in his joy and pleasure, and he just wanted to curl up around his little mate for the rest of the night. Or Forever. He could totally do forever.

“You alright, sunshine?” he asked, pressing a small kiss to Cloud’s lips and smearing the blood on their lips further onto their faces. 

“Yeah” Cloud breathed in response, unable to hold back a smile of his own. “I feel… It feels right and good”

The two nuzzled and cuddled just for a moment longer, before Cloud turned to the side he had last heard Genesis. 

“Gen? You still willing to go?” he asked, knowing that the fox was there based on the proximity of his scent. He was proven right when it didn’t take long for Genesis to slide up close and press a swift kiss on his cheek with a happy chirp. 

“Of course I am. Are you up for it though? That looked rather intense?” Genesis asked seriously. Sure, he was rock hard by now as the two had put on one hell of a show, but he could always seek out one of the alphas for pleasure and relief if he needed it and Cloud wasn’t up for it. 

“Yeah. I mean, it was but… It wouldn’t feel right if you were the only one left out of this. You’ve done so much for me already”

“A mating isn’t transactional, pup” Genesis huffed and flicked Cloud’s forehead with a finger. “I won’t mate you if you think of this as payment for whatever you think I’ve done for you”

“I didn’t mean it like that” Cloud replied in something similar to a pout (it definitely was a pout. He just wouldn’t admit it). “I just… I wouldn’t feel whole if you didn’t join too”

“I swear sometimes you can be the sweetest little fucker…” Genesis cursed under his breath, and physically lifted Cloud off Zack’s softening cock - causing him to yelp at the sudden cold.

Genesis placed Cloud down on his back on the bed, tempted to kiss the rounded belly but keeping himself from doing it. The last thing he wanted to do now was to bring attention to Cloud’s dysphoria after all.    
He did place kisses along the inside of Cloud’s thighs as he spread them however, causing them to twitch in his grip. 

“Tickles…” Cloud murmured as an explanation, and both betas couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on, Gen…! Give it to me”

“What if I feel like teasing you? Maybe I like you desperate for me~” Genesis teased, sliding a finger up inside him and causing him to buck his hips. “Maybe I intend to indulge in my sloppy seconds~”

“Genesis, I swear to everything that is holy - If you don’t hurry up and get inside me, I will piss on everything you love-!” Cloud snarled, though the rage behind it lost it’s intensity as Genesis’ clever touches made him gasp. “You can indulge later, but just-  _ Please _ …!”

As it turned out, none of Cloud’s mates were able to resist it when he whined and begged like that, because Genesis immediately gave up the idea of teasing in favor of guiding Cloud’s legs around his waist. He let the tip of his cock gently rub against Cloud’s opening, but not quite slipping inside yet even despite the needy whines the omega let out. 

“I won’t go easy on you” Genesis warned, but Cloud wouldn’t have it. He flexed his legs and thrust his hips upwards, effectively managing to get Genesis halfway inside him. 

Genesis let out a surprised, pleasured gasp at that, and instinctively thrust inside the rest of the way. Cloud didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he seemed incredibly smug about the fact that he had managed to surprise Genesis of all people. 

Well. If that was how he wanted to play….

Genesis set a deep, fast pace immediately. While Zack had mostly rocked into Cloud, Genesis made sure to thrust - tip to root - with every move of his hips. It almost looked violent, and Zack would have been concerned if it hadn’t been for the pleasure that was clear on both of their faces. He could feel a slight echo of their pleasure through their respective mating bonds, and he couldn’t wait to feel what it would be like when they both came together and finally marked each other. 

The longer it went on, the less coherent the two became. Words and curses became snarls and whines combined with choked off cries and howls. They both clawed at each other and left red little lines on their skin, but neither seemed inclined to stop. Rather, it seemed like the sting was appreciated. 

As they got closer to the end of it, Zack started to jerk himself off. He had become hard again just from watching them, and he was eager to follow them over the edge. 

The end, when it came, was just as explosive as Zack had expected.    
Genesis slammed all the way inside as he came, sinking his teeth into the same gland as Sephiroth. Cloud came from the pain and the heat inside him, and bit down on the gland he now shared with Angeal.    
Both of them trembled for quite a while after they were done, just enjoying the waves of pleasure in the aftermath. 

Rather than try to pry them together, Zack decided to clean them both off with his tongue. He hummed at the taste of Cloud’s cum combined with cum on his tongue, and pulled them both into one sloppy kiss each. 

“So… I don’t know about you, but I feel like a nap sounds pretty damn good right about now”

“For once, you might be right” Genesis grinned with a breathless laugh. 

“Hrngh…” said Cloud. A clear and obvious yes.


	20. Ma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three parts of the life in a pack: Smut, late-night thoughts, and tears. Lots and lots of tears... Accompanied by the tiny squeaks of tiny cubs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is HERE everyone! The chapter where they become parents!!! You have all waited so patiently to see what'll happen, and it's finally here!! 
> 
> Most of you likely know where this is going, or rather where I got the names for the cubs ;) I won't spoil anything here, but I will put some little fun-facts in the chapter notes at the end, along with another link to wonderful fanart!!! 
> 
> Content warnings for this chapter: Spitroasting, oral sex, vaginal sex, implied/referenced mental abuse towards child, mentions of dead parent, referenced child birth and mentioned blood but NO details or graphic information about it. 
> 
> Hope you've all had a good Halloween!
> 
> Enjoy!!
> 
> (Also, how perfect is it that this important chapter is chapter 20? That's so satisfying somehow)

“ _ Ah! _ Yes, Zack..! Right there~”

Angeal chuckled as he followed the sounds of his youngest mates to their main bedchamber.   
Now that Zack and Cloud had had sex for the first time and mated properly, it was as though a switch had been flipped and they couldn’t stay away from each other. If they happened to be in the same room for more than ten minutes, they were bound to kiss or have some form of sex. Given that Cloud spent most of his days in bed, and was more than happy to snuggle anyone who happened to lay down next to him - They had sex a lot. 

Angeal sat down on the bed next to them, enjoying the fucked out look on Cloud’s face as he was being taken from behind on all fours by Zack. The blindfold was firmly in place, his cheeks were flushed prettily and his mouth hung open as he panted and moaned in pleasure. Zack worked hard behind him - his chest glistening with sweat and flushed in his excitement. They looked perfectly delectable and Angeal couldn’t help himself - He wanted a taste of them both. 

He leaned down to kiss Cloud deeply with a happy rumble, feeling his cock twitch in interest as Cloud whimpered into his mouth. He let their tongues press together wetly as he tried to make sure he kissed him properly, but also let him breathe seeing how hard Zack was working him. He had to admit though - He liked it when his little omega was breathless against him. 

“Mind if I borrow your mouth for a moment, love?” Angeal purred, his voice deeper in his swiftly growing arousal, and Cloud shuddered as he nodded. Zack grinned eagerly at Angeal then, winking at him as he slowed down so that Cloud and the alpha could get themselves comfortable.

Angeal lounged back against the pillows and spread his legs before guiding Cloud and Zack closer. Cloud ended up with his cheek resting against the inside of Angeal’s thigh, and every moan that he let out brushed against the alpha’s balls in the most teasing, pleasant way. Angeal placed a gentle hand on Cloud’s head, not to guide him but rather to comfort and support him without using words as the younger man explored and played. 

Cloud had to admit to himself that he had never expected to enjoy cocks and sex as much as he did. He loved how Zack felt inside him, and he loved the musky warmth of Angeal against his face. All of his mates were well-endowed, but Angeal was honestly his favourite. Thick and heavy with a lovely knot and an even better taste. Sephiroth’s cock was great, but almost too long. Zack’s was thick, but just a little too short to be perfect. Genesis was longer than Zack and had the least girth of the four, but he used it expertly when he topped. All were wonderful, but Angeal’s was just right. 

He stroked him with his hand a couple of times, running his tongue along the rim of the foreskin - earning himself a pleasured hiss. Cloud purred at the taste as he placed a wet kiss on the exposed tip, getting his lips wet with precum before he sank down and took him into his mouth properly. 

Angeal let out a soft gasp of pleasure as Cloud worked him so well, and ran his fingers lovingly through the spiky, blond hair. As Zack saw that they were ready, he decided to start fucking him properly again with a happy growl. Cloud moaned around Angeal then, and Angeal cursed at the wonderful sensation. He fought to keep his hips still now that Zack was moving. It rocked Cloud onto him, and he didn’t want to choke their smallest mate unless he had asked for it beforehand. 

Cloud came first, with Zack coming just a couple of thrusts later. Cloud had to pull himself off Angeal so he could breathe properly, and even though Angeal hadn’t found his release yet - he made sure not to rush the two of them. He let Cloud pant and rest against his thigh as Zack peppered the omega’s shoulders and neck with happy kisses. 

“Gotta take care of you too” the older wolf finally murmured between the little kisses and glanced up at Angeal with a content grin. 

“Don’t you worry, pup. I can take care of myself” Angeal just chuckled, reaching out to pet the wild, black hair fondly. “You two should settle in for a cuddle - That looked intense”

“Would be a better cuddle if you joined” Cloud pointed out with a sleepy grin. “But sleeping with this beast pressed up against me might make it hard to relax”

“Right. So we should help you out with it” Zack agreed as he pulled out of Cloud and slumped down next to him, resting his cheek on Angeal’s other thigh. The alpha simply chuckled again and petted both of them fondly. 

“Only if you want to. My fist is more than fit to deal with it”

“And we’re more than happy to do it for you” Zack argued again, leaning in to lick along the side of the heavy cock sloppily. Angeal groaned at that, letting out a hiss as Cloud joined in from the other side. He had half a mind to assure them that he really was fine, but if they wanted to go ahead and make out with his cock between them then… Well, who was he to stop them?

“My lovely, good boys” he growled as Zack sucked the head into his mouth. Zack started to bob his head up and down, taking the thick cock deeper with every move of his head. He had never quite managed to deepthroat Angeal (only Genesis knew how to pull off such a feat), but he was eager and knew just how the other man liked it. He twirled his tongue around the head on every suck, and when Cloud started to kiss and suck at the heavy balls - Angeal was truly lost. 

He cursed and instinctively bucked his hips up as he could feel his orgasm creeping closer. His knot was starting to form, and Cloud immediately stroked and kissed it just like he did with his balls. Within just a couple of minutes, Angeal came generously with a hoarse cry of pleasure. He always came more than usual when his knot was teased, and Zack struggled to swallow all of it. Some of it dribbled down his chin, but Cloud was there and eager to lap it up before leaning up to kiss the now-breathless alpha. The two of them purred in sated pleasure, and when Zack released the tip - he was tugged up to get kissed as well.

“That was… Fuck, that was nice” Angeal laughed softly once they all settled down to cuddle. Cloud shifted into his wolf form so they could remove the blindfold, and Zack pulled more furs up to make their little cuddle-pile even cuddlier. 

“Understatement of the century” Zack snickered as he snuggled up close with a yawn. “Everything is nice. You’re nice. Cloud is nice. Life is just so nice. Ever think about how life is just like a long round of sex?”

**_“Orgasms make him philosophical…”_ ** Cloud hummed, even though his eyes were already closed and he was clearly settling in to sleep.

“They sure do. Remind me to tell you of that one time he decided that fish are actually birds sometime” Angeal teased, kissing Zack’s forehead as he apparently decided to ignore the both of them in favor of pretending to be asleep.    
  


\---

Cloud was growing increasingly tired and hormonal as time went on. He found himself weeping for no reason, he kept chewing on pine twigs because nothing else would sate some form of deep craving he had, he would laugh at sillier things than normal; and he would eat a lot more than he normally would.    
After two weeks of being able to at least shift into a human during sex and sometimes sleep - He simply refused to change forms. He felt too small and fragile as a human, and by now it was impossible to ignore that he was pregnant. 

His mates would, of course, do anything they could to help him in his different mood shifts. Pet him when he asked to be petted but also backing off when he was too sensitive and aching to allow any form of physical contact. They brought him food in bed, and always stayed close. Cloud had snapped at Sephiroth more than once when the alpha had tried to protectively sleep on top of Cloud purely on instinct. While both alphas tended to hover and never leave the den, Sephiroth was somehow far more overbearing than Angeal. They all knew why, even if Cloud didn’t have the whole story, but his patience had a limit which he made sure to reinforce almost daily.

The closer they got to the birth of the cubs, the less any of them left the den. All of them made sure to sleep in the same bed every night, curled around each other with Cloud in the middle just like they had in the aftermath of the battle. 

  
One night, Zack and Cloud were snoring in tandem, with Angeal curled around them on the opposite side of Sephiroth and Genesis having burrowed himself in between them so fully that he could barely be seen under all the wolf fur. 

  
Sephiroth was supposed to be sleeping, of course, but as he listened to the sounds of their deep breathing and snoring, he could feel his thoughts drifting and keeping him awake.

He was - quite frankly - terrified. He knew,  _ objectively _ , that Cloud was happy with them. He knew that while the circumstances hadn’t been ideal, the whole pack were excited about the pups. Cloud was as strong as ever, eating his fill, and the few odd quirks that the pregnancy brought out in him were more than normal for anyone who happened to be pregnant.    
_ Subjectively _ , however, Sephiroth just didn’t trust it. He barely remembered his mom beyond the smell of her hair and her gentle eyes, but he could remember that she was always sickly and pale. She was weak, starved and constantly in pain to the point where she could barely hold him. Everything else he knew about his mom had been told to him by his father or by his grandmother-turned-mother, Jenova.

Hojo had done his best to care for them but he was not an empathic man. He had told Sephiroth that his mother had become weak and ill because she hadn’t wanted to become a mother. She claimed to love him, he always admitted, but he never shied away from telling Sephiroth that Lucretia  _ hadn’t made the choice _ to become pregnant. It had just happened, and she had simply dealt with it.  _ He _ was something she just had to  _ deal with _ .

  
When Lucretia eventually died, and Jenova found out what Hojo had told Sephiroth - The Matriarch immediately adopted him and took him away from his father. He remembered that Jenova had told him that Hojo was a cruel man who had lied about Lucretia’s longing for a cub, but Sephiroth never believed her. 

After all, why would she be weak and hurt if she hadn’t carried a cub she didn’t want?

By now, Sephiroth had just accepted that he killed his mom. Death happened in their society after all, and it wasn’t uncommon for mothers to die so their cubs could live.    
Still, he was terrified that Cloud didn’t want the cubs and that they would end up killing their mom, just like he himself once did. 

All this soared through his mind as he watched his sleeping mates in their little pile. He thanked his lucky stars every single day that they had found him, and he had to hold himself back from petting them as they slept. They needed their sleep, and he wouldn’t know what to tell them if they asked why he was awake. He just kept thinking about how lucky he was, how scared he was, and how happy he was that he had the four of them to brighten his life enough to make him forget the darkness from whence he came.

Angeal with his kindness. Always knowing when to be firm, when to be soft and when to yell at a bitch.    
Genesis with his passion. Beautiful, dangerous and with his own specific brand of compassion.    
Zack with his unbridled joy and energy. A true sun with enough love to warm even the coldest heart - his own…

  
And then there was Cloud. The fiery little enigma that had made his way into their lives in the most unexpected fashion, while still making it seem like he had always been destined to meet them. 

There were many uncertainties clouding Sephiroth’s mind, but there was one thing he knew for absolute certain: 

He loved them with every fibre of his being, and he would do everything in his power to make sure that they would never question their self-worth or love like he once had.    
The world could burn for all he cared.    
The world that mattered was there in his bed after all. 

\---

When the time came, it was completely random. Cloud had been lounging on their bed as usual, just taking a little nap, when he felt something inside him shift. Every fibre of his being told him to go to his nest, to burrow down in darkness and softness, and he followed that instinct eagerly. He was feeling weird and on edge, even though it wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on. 

He moved into the cub-corner as fast as he could, trying to keep his head clear even despite his fear. He had heard so many horror stories about giving birth, about parents that had died and he had never thought they would apply to him. But here he was, and he had to act fast. 

He pulled a sheet of cotton over the top of the pen to box himself in, and then set to fixing the nest how he wanted it. The cotton sheet had been from Genesis’ collection of human things, and it was a perfect size to act as a roof for now.    
When he was done, he could feel pulses of pain shoot through him, and he finally howled for his mates to let them know what was happening. After that, he decided to fully give himself over to his instincts - he didn’t quite dare to be fully mentally present through the pain.

Angeal and Sephiroth had been discussing potions and plants when the howl came, making them both tense up and turn towards the sound. 

“You think…-”

“It’s time? … Yeah”

They glanced at each other, not moving for a second that felt like a century, and then darted towards the sound. They had been on the other side of the mountain, and when they got there they found that Genesis was already there. His room was closer so it was no surprise that he got there faster. 

“Zack?” Angeal asked, his gaze fixed on the now-covered cub-corner. 

“On patrol. He should be here any minute” Genesis replied as both of the alphas settled down with him with their backs against the wall of the pen. The walls reached up to Angeal’s chest, but because of the roof they couldn’t see what was going on. 

“Shouldn’t we be in there with him?” Sephiroth asked with a worried frown. They could all hear Cloud grunt and whine in pain after all, and every part of him wanted to be near his omega and comfort him through the process. 

“Already tried. He nearly bit my hands off” Genesis told them with a dry smile. His little attempt at humor couldn’t explain away how pale and jittery he was, so Angeal immediately settled down next to him and wrapped an arm around him so they could cuddle close while they waited. It was a way to comfort both of them as Angeal felt safe with Genesis in his arms, and Genesis felt safe when held by Angeal. 

Sephiroth, mainly based on instincts, did try to peek into the cub-corner at one point. Cloud had let out a sharp cry of pain combined with the heavy smell of blood, and he hadn’t been able to stop himself. Before he could see anything though, he was told to leave in such a vicious, blood-curling snarl that he didn’t attempt to repeat it. 

Zack burst in just a couple of moments later, his hair even wilder than usual and panting from how fast he had been running. 

“Are they coming? Is he alright? Are they here yet? Why is he alone? Shouldn’t you be in there with him?” he asked so rapidly that the three of them couldn’t help but smile fondly at him. Sephiroth simply patted the ground next to him, and Zack obediently sat down. Not that he could relax or anything - He was bouncing in his seat and was more restless than any of them had ever seen him before. 

“Calm down, pup” Sephiroth said hypocritically, as he himself was freaking out. “We’ve tried, but he doesn’t want us in there. They aren’t here yet, but it sounds like he’s alright…” he explained, trailing off as Cloud let out another shrill howl of pain. 

“As alright as a person can be when giving birth” Genesis pointed out, his bouncing knee betraying how nervous he was. “We just have to wait for his sign. For him to tell us that it’s alright to peek”

An hour passed, and they had all almost given in to the need to check up on Cloud several times each. They helped hold each other back though, as they didn’t want to upset him more in the current state. The smell of blood kept increasing, as did the volume of Cloud’s noises and cries of pain. 

Suddenly, the sounds stopped and the four of them tensed up. It could mean that it was done, but it could also mean that Cloud had passed out or died - Just like Sephiroth feared.

And then, the silence was broken by a small ‘ _ peep _ ’. 

The four looked at each other with wide eyes, as if the reality only hit them then.

  
_ Was that…-!? _

Another squeaky little noise was heard, followed by some shuffling, and Cloud’s content purr. The squeaks kept going for a moment until they grew silent - replaced by a small suckling noise and the tiniest rumble they had ever heard.

“... Cloud?” Zack finally asked carefully, as the four of them shifted as close to the cub-corner as they could. “Are you… Are they alright?”

**_“... Yeah”_ **

The four of them let out sighs of relief as they heard Cloud speak with his proper voice again. It was hoarse, and he was clearly exhausted, but he sounded happy. 

“Can we look?” Genesis asked, both of his hands trembling as he reached for the cover. It was quiet for another minute, but then Cloud spoke again. 

**_“You can. Just… Don’t mind the blood”_ **

A notion the four of them understood, but also couldn’t care less about. Genesis gently pulled the sheet off, exposing Cloud and their new cubs to their other parents. 

Cloud laid curled up in his wolf form in one of the corners, half-buried beneath furs and pillows. He looked ruffled, and the nest looked out of place, but nobody seemed to notice. All they could focus on were the two little figures that were busy nursing from Cloud’s chest. 

One dark bear cub, and one striped little tiger cub. Both were about the same size and still wet after Cloud’s tongue-bath. The tiger was using it’s paws to gently knead at Cloud while the little bear seemed content to be still while it fed. It did seem like the bear was the one who was letting out the content rumble however. 

“One each…” Genesis breathed, as tears of happiness welled up in his eyes. He wasn’t the only one who was crying though, as he could hear both Angeal and Zack let out wet sobs. Sephiroth just sat there - Unblinking and completely silent, with his gaze fixed on the white cub. 

“You have one baby each…!” Genesis repeated with a laugh, and Angeal couldn’t help but join in. Zack had to cover his face as he sobbed. His hands couldn’t cover his bright smile however, and he started to giggle almost hysterically. 

“Guys, we’re dads…!” he laughed, wiping the tears away from his eyes. “We’re actually dads! You did so well, Cloudy!”

Cloud grinned back, and his tail started to wag at the praise. He was a little too tired to speak, and simply settled for giving  _ his _ babies ( _ his pups _ ) another tongue-bath while they nursed. 

“They’re so cute” Angeal sobbed, his lips trembling even as he smiled. He so desperately wanted to reach out and touch the tiny bear -  _ His child _ \- but he didn’t want to do so before Cloud decided that it was alright. 

The cubs nursed for a little while longer, and their dads had managed to get themselves under control somewhat when they decided that they were done. 

**_“Sephiroth, Angeal - Hold out your hands”_ ** Cloud said, and it was almost embarrassing how swiftly Angeal obeyed. Sephiroth was just a little slower, and both of their hands were trembling. Cloud knew they were steady enough though, so he gently lifted the cubs with his mouth and put them in their respective sire’s hands. They squeaked quite a bit, very disoriented as they were moved around in their new world, but the hands that held them were warm. 

**_“Angeal, say hello to our daughter”_ ** Cloud grinned and then turned to Sephiroth.  **_“Sephiroth, say hi to our son. Their lights let me know their genders, but I figure you two should name them”_ **

Angeal just looked down at the little bear in his hands, completely speechless for a moment. Her eyes weren’t open yet, and her little nose was pink… She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Genesis crowded close as well, running gentle fingers over her back. She squeaked at him for that, but the sensation wasn’t unpleasant so she didn’t try to leave. She snuffed around a little bit, her tiny tongue flicking against Angeal’s palms and Genesis’ fingers when they got within reach. 

“She’s beautiful,” Genesis finally said, his voice thick with emotion. Angeal turned to look at him with so much love in his eyes that they seemed to be glowing. There was a continuous stream of tears running down his cheeks, but his smile had never been brighter before. 

“She is…! Gen, lo-look at our daughter…!  _ Our _ daughter!” he sobbed in a laugh. “We’re parents”

“We are” Genesis agreed, leaning in to press their foreheads together as he joined Angeal’s hands in cradling the precious little creature. “What’s her name? I know I’ll end up calling her ‘princess’, but it would be nice to know her actual name too” he teased, kissing the tears off Angeal’s cheeks. 

“I.. I would like to call her Xion” Angeal said after just a moment of thinking. “My grandmother’s name. A strong matriarch with a heart of gold”

“Xion…” Genesis repeated, letting the name roll off his tongue as he looked down at their little girl. “It’s perfect. She’s perfect” 

Cloud huffed out an approving little noise at the name too, before turning his attention to Sephiroth and Zack. He didn’t want to interrupt their first bonding experience, no matter how much he longed to just cradle the two precious pups against him. He wasn’t their only parent, and it was important that all of them got to bond in these first moments. 

Sephiroth was still quiet, and Cloud was quite certain that he hadn’t blinked ever since he first laid eyes on their son. The little white tiger was so small and wriggly in his hands, and Zack openly sobbed as he peppered him in soft kisses. He squeaked at the strange sensation in his new environment, but it wasn’t painful so he would allow it for now. 

“Look at him! Look at his widdle nose and his widdle paws” Zack cooed through the sobs. “His widdle tail….! The smallest widdle cute patoot snoot I’ve ever seen~!”

Sephiroth cradled the little cub in his hands as if he was the most precious thing in the whole world, and still found himself at a loss for words. How could he use mortal words to describe someone so otherworldly perfect? All words he knew just seemed… Insufficient. 

“... Riku” he finally breathed as the little cub carefully started to explore his palm with his mouth. “His name is Riku”

Once the name had been spoken, it was as though a valve had been turned inside him, and tears started to trickle steadily down his cheeks. He gently lifted the little tiger up to his cheek so he could rub them against the little head, pressing his scent against it. He too kissed the little boy gently on the back and the head, before placing his nose to Riku’s back and inhaling the scent of his son. Of  _ their _ son.

**_“Xion and Riku, huh? I like them”_ ** Cloud chuckled.  **_“I do have suggestions for what they can call us in return. There are five of us after all, and it would be confusing if all of us were ‘dad’”_ **

“You have a point, sunshine” Zack laughed, wiping his tears. “Got a suggestion?”

**_“I sure do. Zack, you’re daddy…”_ **

“Well now that’s a word that can never be used in bed again” Zack laughed, but kissed Riku’s head again. “Worth it”

**_“...Angeal, you’re dad...”_ **

“It would be an honor”

**_“...Sephiroth should be father…”_ **

Formal and strong… Yes, he would be happy to be ‘father’. Words were still difficult though, so Sephiroth just nodded.

**_“...and Genesis - you’re Ma”_ **

That startled Genesis so badly that he actually physically jolted. His eyes were wide as he looked at Cloud, his mouth hanging halfway open in surprise. 

“But… But you’re ma…”

**_“Nah. We talked about it before”_ ** Cloud shrugged, acting uncaring but his wildly wagging tail gave his true mood away.  **_“I never wanted to be a ma - I’ve always wanted to be Da. You’ve dreamed about being a Ma to Angeal’s cubs since you two became a thing, so I don’t see a reason why you shouldn’t be Ma. We make the rules after all”_ **

Genesis was speechless for a moment, his mouth open and closing before he just seemed to crumble. His sobs turned into actual wails and he curled in on himself against Angeal. He wanted to leap at Cloud and embrace him, but Cloud was likely aching after the birth, so he remained where he was. 

“Thank you” he cried, hiding his face against Angeal’s shoulder. The alpha simply rumbled to comfort him, and handed Xion over to Genesis so he could hold her properly. 

“I’m a  _ ma _ …!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK SO I FOUND OUT THAT BEAR CUBS ACTUALLY SOUND LIKE LITTLE ENGINES WHEN THEY'RE HAPPILY NURSING FROM THEIR MOMS???? AS A WAY OF SAYING "Yes this is good, let's stay like this"???? I LOVE IT SO FUCKING MUCH
> 
> And I love the concept of Kingdom Hearts characters as cubs honestly, so I just couldn't resist. Those of you who are into Kingdom Hearts might have seen that Lea (Axel) and Larxene were mentioned as Rufus' children in an earlier chapter soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo here's more of that~!  
> I might also put in other Final Fantasy characters as NPC's or cubs in the future, we'll see. I have ideas and plans ;) If you have ideas or just adorable vids of baby animals - Feel free to send them to me via link or my twitter! I might have to end up writing spin-offs XD
> 
> Also, more art by Kanna Productions who drew the lovely mating from chapter 19!!! Check it out!
> 
> https://twitter.com/KannaProductio1/status/1319747058736242693


	21. Blue eyes and black hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some important talks are had between alphas........
> 
> And also babies being really adorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!
> 
> I am once again sorry about the delay, but life is just crazy right now. Every time I sat down to write, I just felt mediocre and that I couldn't give you what you deserved, you know?   
> I feel like there's always that awkward period between milestones when you write stories XD I have several things planned, but the in-betweens are fuzzy so to speak. 
> 
> That said, I tried to put in both plot and adorable baby stuff in this chapter!! 
> 
> Also, Kanna has drawn some more lovely art for this fic! This time, it's of Riku and Seph from the last chapter! Link will come at the end notes :3
> 
> Thank you all again for your continued support and for your ingenious suggestions in the comments! I welcome suggestions for animals, characters and "Cute stuff I would like to see them do with their babies"! You know, to fill out the in-betweens ;)   
> Smut is also, of course, welcome. The parents are healthy grownups who all find each other INCREDIBLY attractive after all! So the comments are open for suggestions for ships/kinks etc that you would like to see.
> 
> You're all amazing! Hope you're doing alright everyone <3

Objectively, the first weeks were rather repetitive and boring. The cubs didn’t do much after all. They ate and they slept - Nothing more.    
Subjectively, all their dads absolutely adored every second of it.

Cloud was the only one who could feed them, which meant that he got to spend the most time with them in their cub-corner, but even he needed the occasional break. In order to make it fair and practical, they made a rotating schedule.    
Two of them would be with the cubs and watch over them as they slept, two went outside to get fresh air and hunt or just patrol their territory, while the fifth would sleep, prepare food, or just enjoy some alone-time. Not that any of them thought of watching over the cubs as a chore, but they grew tired whether they wanted to or not and needed to rest. 

It was during one of these times that Sephiroth took the chance to contact Reeve and update him on the current situation with the use of a contact spell stone. It was a simple square crystal placed into the wall of one of their rooms, much like a mirror. Thanks to the spell stone, could both see and hear Reeve, even though they were many days of travel apart. 

“The news about Corneo’s attack on your grounds were very concerning, even if they’re further away from us than you are”

“Have you had any incidents?” Sephiroth asked, a deep frown firmly on his face as he thought back to it. It was far more worrisome than he had wanted to share with the betas and Cloud just yet, but all alphas he was allied with had voiced similar concerns. 

“Not by Corneo” Reeve admitted with a sigh. “The humans near our borders are growing bolder however… They’ve tried attacking Kalm multiple times before winter”

That surprised Sephiroth enough to make him let out a growl. Kalm was one of the larger herbivore settlements in Reeve’s area. While humans and herbivores might assume that carnivores would just blindly kill any gathering of prey, there was a reason that no herbivore settlement had fallen to carnivores for centuries. Predators had decided to protect those settlements, and generally leave them alone. Any prey found in the wild that lost fair and square was fair game, as was any prey that walked their way into a predator’s territory, but predators  _ never _ attacked herbivore settlements. Until now, no humans had either. 

“... I was under the impression that humans wouldn’t prey on herbivore shifters” Sephiroth remarked, remembering Cloud’s reaction to them eating that one moose shifter more than well. “Cloud says it would be considered cannibalism, which is frowned upon in their society”

“Yes, that was my understanding as well, which is why this is both confusing and concerning” Reeve agreed grimly. “Cid has been trying to figure out more information from his contacts there”

“Is he still trading with them? Despite the attacks?”

“Well yes. He’s a gibbon - an omnivore - and most of his inventions help make life better for the people in Kalm, so they figure he’s safe enough to be around” Reeve argued with a shrug. “Vincent and I aren’t welcome anywhere near the gates, of course, but we patrol the roads from the air still”

“Fair enough. Has he managed to figure anything out?”

“Not really - Most of them only have speculations for now. Some say that humans are expanding enough that they need more food, some figure that they just want strong workers, and the rest are just saying that the threat is an exaggeration. As soon as we find anything out, I’ll update you”

“Thank you. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need to help the situation from growing too grave. I’m sure Cloud would be happy to be of use or accompany Cid into Kalm. He’s settling down just fine, but I suspect there are things about prey society that he misses”

“Your mates make you so soft” Reeve teased gently, as if he wasn’t the exact same with Cid and Vincent. “Speaking of which, how are things over there? I must admit that the news about your omega came as quite the surprise. Not to mention the cubs! I must admit, I didn’t really think we’d see the days where you four would settle down as parents” the raven chuckled, causing Sephiroth to let out a little huff of amusement as well. 

“Things are going well. Zack and Angeal are with the cubs right now” he explained. “Zack sprained his tail twice last week from wagging it too hard, and Genesis couldn’t stop laughing for an hour the first time it happened. The second time was easier, but he has vowed to keep reminding Zack of it for the rest of his life. Zack, of course, sees it as a point of pride”

“I can imagine most would react in the same way” Reeve snickered at that. “I can’t wait to see them once the snow melts. We have much to talk about, but we simply can’t travel right now”

“Of course. How many of you are coming over?”

“Just Vincent and I. Cid is working on a gift for the little ones, but he can’t calm down enough to leave the pack anytime soon, so we’ll just take it with us. He’s been working on this new surveillance and defense system lately and wants to finish those up as soon as he can. You know him - he’s a perfectionist”

Sephiroth hummed in acknowledgement, but in truth he was only half-listening. He supposed that he should have expected that Vincent would be coming over, but then again… 

“... Are you certain that Vincent will be alright with it? You know there is no obligation just because he happens to be your second-in-command” Sephiroth pointed out, trying to hide his uncertainty behind a cool demeanor. It was one Reeve was familiar with, so he saw right through it, but he wouldn’t embarrass Sephiroth by pointing it out. 

“Yes I am. He volunteered before I even had to ask him” Reeve said, as gently as he possibly could. “You know he doesn’t mind being around you”

“You have told me that lie for years, and I won’t start believing it now” Sephiroth huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“I’ll keep telling you that truth until you finally do then” Reeve said firmly. “Of course Vincent wants to meet Lucretia’s grandchild-”

“Lucretia’s grandchild, but not  _ my child _ . The son that killed Lucretia” Sephiroth cut him off immediately. They had gone over it many times, and it always put him on edge. 

He knew the story perfectly by now. Lucretia the tiger and Vincent the bearded vulture, deeply in love but waiting for her heat to finally give each other mating marks, only to have Hojo swoop in at the last second and taking that bite himself before hiding her away from the world. 

“You know he doesn’t see it that way. Do you not want him to come?” Reeve asked, trying not to show how frustrated the situation made him. 

“... I don’t particularly mind. I think him and Cloud would get along well… And Riku looks just like his grandmother, so I wouldn’t want to steal that happiness from him”

“Sephiroth-” Reeve started,but both immediately fell quiet as they heard Zack howl in the other room. Something had happened with the cubs…!

“I need to go - Keep me updated about Kalm” Sephiroth demanded, before simply turning and leaving the room so he could rush towards Zack’s howling.    
  


When he arrived, it honestly took him a moment to figure out what exactly he was looking at. 

Zack was holding Riku in his arms, the little cub now almost as large as a human baby. Speaking of human babies - That was what Angeal was holding in his arms. 

Little Xion had grown to be larger than her brother quite swiftly, which was quite honestly impressive seeing as Riku’s weight and size had doubled during that first week. But it was not a bear cub that Angeal was cradling to his chest now…!

“She transformed!” Zack said excitedly, soothing Riku by rocking him gently back and forth with little pets to his head. “Angeal was just petting her, and suddenly she just-!”

“Her eyes are open” Angeal breathed, unable to look away from the little baby girl in his arms. She was chubby and small, of course, with a black tuft of hair on her head. Her big blue eyes seemed to have trouble focusing on anything around her, but she seemed curious rather than afraid. Both cubs had learned to recognize their parents by smell after all, even if they had no idea what they looked like. She gnawed a little on her closed fist, even though she didn’t have any teeth, and simply looked around. 

She was, it had to be said, completely oblivious to how magical the moment was to her fathers. 

“Hey baby girl~! Hi~!” Zack cooed as he shifted closer, pressing his shoulder against Angeal’s so that he could get in her line of sight easier. “You look just like your dad! But I think she has Cloud’s nose”

“That she does” Angeal laughed softly, kissing the soft top of her head as he rocked her in his arms. Xion had no opinions on her current situation, but she did gurgle happily as she kept sucking on her fist. 

“Look at her widdle hands~!” Zack cooed again, kissing the top of Riku’s head even as he reached in to let Xion ‘nibble’ on his finger instead. “Your sister is all nakey, Riku!”

“Don’t say it like that, Zackary” Sephiroth scolded, though it was clearly only a joke as he couldn’t help but smile at his little family. Genesis was going to be unbearable about the fact that he missed their daughter’s first turning. 

Just as he thought that, he heard one loud gasp behind him, accompanied by a cry of dismay. 

“I missed it! I missed our daughter’s turning!” Genesis wailed as him and Cloud approached the pen, and Sephiroth couldn’t help but roll his eyes fondly at his dramatics. 

“I knew you would throw a tantrum about it” he teased, wrapping an arm around Cloud’s waist as he got close enough. 

“Oh hush you” Genesis huffed as he crouched down to have a look at Xion from over Angeal’s head. “Look at our little princess~! A beauty, just like her da and dad”

“Lies and slander. I could never compare to this level of perfection” Angeal huffed with an amused grin. 

“Can’t wait to have a better look” Cloud chuckled, not minding that Sephiroth tugged him into cuddles. Zack’s howl had terrified both him and Genesis, so the fact that all was fine made him relax again… He still needed the hug though. 

As the cubs could smell that their food-parent was there though, they immediately decided that they were hungry and made it known very loudly. Xion let out a very human-like baby cry, while Riku cried in his baby tiger language. They started to wriggle and their cries increased in volume until Zack put Riku down and left the pen so that there would be room enough for Cloud to join them. 

He shifted into a wolf and crawled in to lay next to Angeal on his side so that the cubs could reach their food easily, and greeted both of them with little wolf-kisses to their heads. Angeal put Xion down so that she could reach her food easier, but she still didn’t turn back into a bear cub. She did still rumble and make happy little sounds as she fed however. 

Now that the children were feeding and happy, Cloud let his head rest on Angeal’s lap, and as the alpha scratched him behind the ears and along his scruff, he let out a content purr. 

“Sorry that your patrol was cut short, babe” Zack chuckled with such a bright smile that Cloud worried that he’d sprain his cheeks as well. “I just figured that this was an important occasion and that you’d want to be part of it”

**_“It’s fine, Zack”_ ** Cloud assured him, glancing down at the tiger cub and the human baby side by side. Xion’s ears were still rounded, very much like a human’s, and it wouldn’t be until later in life that they would grow pointed.  **_“You were right - we did want to see this”_ **

“Once they’re done eating, I really want to hold her” Genesis cooed. 

“I’ll take Riku then. Wouldn’t want him to feel left out” Sephiroth hummed, reaching down to run two gentle fingers over Riku’s striped back. The touch didn’t seem to bother the cub too much, but it did make his tail and one ear twitch, which brought a soft smile to Sephiroth’s face. 

“He’ll get the same amount of attention when he transforms as well - No need to worry” Genesis assured him, stepping in close enough that he could kiss Sephiroth’s cheek.    
“Now, how did the talk with Reeve go? Are they coming to visit?”

And just like that, Sephiroth’s smile fell into a frown again. He had wanted to wait, but he supposed it would make sense for them to talk about it now that all five of them were there. It wasn’t like the cubs would be able to pick up on any drama or Sephiroth’s inner turmoil quite yet, and especially not while feeding. 

“They are. Reeve and Vincent are coming to visit once the snow melts” he confirmed, causing grunts of surprise to come from all of his mates but Cloud who didn’t know of the situation yet. 

“Vincent? Really?” Zack asked hesitantly, running a hand through his unruly hair. 

“Yes. Really”

“And what makes him think he’s welcome?” Genesis asked with a frown and a harsh snort.

“He’s Reeve’s mate and second-in-command, Genesis. Calm down” Angeal scolded gently, though he kept his gaze on Sephiroth. 

“He’s also a first-class asshole for how he’s been treating Sephiroth all these years. He doesn’t get to just pretend that Seph doesn’t exist, and then come to demand to see Riku”

“He didn’t treat me poorly, Genesis” Sephiroth objected, which only made Genesis slide closer so he could cling to him. 

“No, he treated you as if you didn’t exist”

“He was mourning the woman he loved”

“Ah  _ yes _ ! And  _ of course _ that gives him the right to treat her son as air just because said son didn’t come from his  _ feathery fucking testicles- _ ”

“Language, Genesis” Angeal scolded again, trying (and failing) to cover the cubs’ ears. He simply didn’t have enough hands to cover four, admittedly tiny, ears. 

**_“... I feel like I’m missing some vital information here”_ ** Cloud pointed out with an irritated flick of his tail.  **_“Who are Reeve and Vincent?”_ **

“I told you about them a long time ago. Before you came here” Zack hummed. “It’s been a while though, and I didn’t give you too much information. You know, cause we were strangers back then” 

Cloud tried to think back to it, and he supposed that the names sounded familiar, but he still had no idea who they were. He did his best to push down any feelings of jealousy that he hadn’t been told earlier, but then again they had all been rather distracted and this didn’t seem too important. Or rather, it hadn’t until now.    
He still nodded in confirmation, and Zack took that as a sign to continue. 

“Well, Reeve is a raven. An alpha that lives a couple of days away from here in an area they jokingly call ‘Rocket town’. He used to live in Banora with Angeal and Gen, but his family were moving quite a bit. Birds, you know. Restless creatures. He created a little ‘town’ with his mates Vincent and Cid. Cid is some gibbon that they picked up somewhere - Good with his hands but curses worse than anyone I’ve ever met. He has this way of telling you ‘I like you’, by insulting you” Zack chuckled.    
“But then there’s Vincent. He’s a bearded vulture - you know, those bone eating fuckers-...”

“ _ Language _ …!!”

“Right, sorry Angeal - bone-eating  _ fellas _ . Him and Seph’s mom used to be a thing before he was born, but he isn’t Seph’s dad so…”

Ah.

“He still wants to meet Riku” Sephiroth pointed out, weirdly feeling the need to defend the older male. He didn’t know how he himself would react if he lost any of his mates, but he didn’t think that he would blame any cubs for it. Then again, all his mates were his - not someone else’s. 

“Of course he does” Genesis spat, annoyed enough that Angeal silenced him with a motion of his hand. 

“You two will have to leave the room if you’re going to get heated about this. They can’t understand what you’re saying, but they’re more than capable of picking up on the tone of things. Either drop it for now and talk it through later, or take it outside” he commanded, causing even Genesis to look sheepish. He hadn’t even realized that he was growling until he was asked to stop. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin this” he sighed. “It’s not necessary to talk about it now… Given how cold it was outside, I doubt that the snow will melt soon”

“You always think it’s cold” Cloud teased, causing Zack to snicker. 

“That’s because it always is, Cloudy dearest” Genesis retorted, taking the chance to soften the atmosphere that had been offered. “I don’t get how you two can enjoy it so much” 

“It’s fun to dig around in it” Zack shrugged. “I mean, obviously not without my fur, but you can play so many great games in snow!”

“You know you’re always welcome to hibernate with me, love” Angeal pointed out, his smile softer again. 

“But alas! Even hibernation is impossible with two cubs to keep track of!” Genesis sighed dramatically as he flopped against Sephiroth’s shoulder. 

“Besides, we wouldn’t want to rob you of your favourite hobby” Zack teased with a sharp grin. 

“Favourite hobby?”

“Complaining”

That did make Genesis growl again, but seeing as this particular growl was a playful one, even Angeal didn’t scold him for it. Without further warning, he threw himself at Zack and tackled him to the ground for a round of rough-housing in their animal forms. Genesis was smaller, but he was determined with his little sharp nips, and Zack just overall seemed happy to get to play properly. He was careful with his smaller mate, and most certainly letting him win, but that was fine. They were only playing after all. 

As the cubs finished eating and Cloud wrapped around them to keep them warm during their post-food-nap, Angeal reached up to take Sephiroth’s hand and gently bring it to his lips so he could kiss it softly. 

“Are you alright, love?” he asked gently, searching Sephiroth’s gaze for any hint of what he was actually feeling. The gesture truly warmed Sephiroth’s heart and he smiled carefully again before nodding. 

“Yes.”   
  
“Promise?”

“Promise. Just a little vulnerable right now I suppose” he sighed, looking down at their sleeping children. Riku had some milk stuck in the fur around his mouth and Xion was hugging him close in her sleep. Sephiroth could almost physically feel his heart grow several sizes from the affection he felt upon looking at them.    
“I just want them… I want them to have a good life. Vincent won’t hurt them, and it’s more than time for me to move on from feeling that childish hurt”

“Your feelings matter, Seph” Angeal reassured him, and a gentle huff from Cloud showed that he agreed. “You can feel sad about what’s been between the two of you, while also wanting him to be part of their lives. The more adults there are around them, the safer they are after all”

“I know” he murmured, glancing very briefly at Genesis who was busy tugging at Zack’s ear. “I just…”

“You know how he gets when he’s convinced that his loved ones are being hurt” Angeal immideately said, sounding so sure of it that Sephiroth couldn’t really find it in himself to argue.    
“Genesis loves you. We all do, and I do agree with him. Vincent’s feelings for your mom shouldn’t have affected you like they did”

“He had no obligation to care for me” Sephiroth murmured. “It feels wrong to blame him for something that he had no reason to do”

“I get that. I truly do” Angeal assured him again, in that safe way that Angeal said most things. “We also have no obligation to care for you, but we do. You can always come to us when you need us”

  
“As you can always come to me” Sephiroth confirmed with a nod. “I know. Thank you, Angeal. I just want this to work” he said, glancing down at his son’s milk-soggy face.    
“... But first, we will have to make them something to bathe in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beautiful art!: https://twitter.com/HopesFeathers/status/1322909589172531202
> 
> So next chapter will include at LEAST some 'babies taking a bath while their dads try not to get splashed too much' :3


	22. A big little surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angeal, Sephiroth and Cloud enjoy some R&R and discover that Sephiroth has a kink he hasn't been aware of before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again everyone!
> 
> So........ This was sort of an accident. I had planned on having some cubs being bathed, some strategic talks happening etc..........
> 
> But then THIS happened and adding more strategy and such at the end ruined the pace sooooooo~
> 
> Enjoy AlphaxAlphaxOmega smut

Time passed and Xion was shifting between her forms often, sometimes several times per day. Her parents all had to be ready to brace for sudden changes when holding her, as a bear cub weighed a lot more than a human baby.    
Riku still hadn’t shown any signs of shifting however. He had opened his eyes (blue like Cloud’s) and managed to crawl around with a lot more dexterity than his sister, but nothing else. 

“I have my suspicions about why he might be slower when it comes to magic” Sephiroth admitted one evening. It was Zack’s turn to sleep wrapped around the cubs, and Genesis snoozed in a little bundle pressed up against him and the cubs. Angeal, Sephiroth and Cloud were cuddled up against each other on their large bed, seeing as it was more comfortable than the floor next to the cub corner. 

“Does it have anything to do with Jenova?” Angeal asked, wrapping an arm Sephiroth’s waist and tugging him close so that he could kiss his cheek while Cloud snuggled up against the tiger’s other side.

“Yes. It seems like a likely explanation”

“Why?” Cloud asked with a frown. “Was she a late bloomer?”

“Nobody knows” Sephiroth shrugged. “It seems more likely that the traits of her blood-line - our blood-line - would cause us to develop more slowly in order to compensate”

“Wait, hold it - What traits?” Cloud asked, sitting up so he could look down at his alphas properly. “You mean Jenova and her offspring have specific traits?”

“Yes? How did you not know this?” Sephiroth asked with a frown of his own. 

“Because I grew up with prey. You know this”

“Of course, but you knew who she was. I simply assumed that prey still talk about her” Sephiroth pointed out. Neither alpha decided to call Cloud out on the fact that this was the first time he’d ever referred to his former pack as prey. 

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t consider ghost stories to be reliable sources” Cloud huffed. “I just assumed that she was incredibly powerful overall. Are you telling me there’s more than that?”

Sephiroth seemed reluctant to talk about it for some reason, but Angeal just chuckled gently. 

“Come now, Seph. He needs to know. He has a son with Jenova traits now, after all”

“I know” Sephiroth grumbled, but didn’t try to stall any further. “Mother had ten times more magic in her than other predators, which is something she’s passed onto the rest of us. With that power comes some extra traits that has been passed on to both me and my younger cousins”

“The triplets that call you their older brother?”

“Yes. Naturally, our moms also inherited that power but seeing as they’re both dead - they’re mostly irrelevant” he hummed. “Do you know what determines what animal a shifter’s child will be?”

“Genesis told me that the child will become whatever animal the sire was” Cloud said carefully, looking to Angeal who nodded in confirmation. 

“That’s right. Which is why Xion is a bear like me. The only way you’d have a wolf cub with our current pack is if Zack sired one with you” he explained. 

“Jenova’s descendants are different however. My mom was an omega tiger, while my sire was a comodo dragon. Apparently our genes are strong enough that no matter who carries and who sires a cub - It will always be a tiger if someone of Jenova’s line is involved” Sephiroth explained. 

“That’s… Interesting, I suppose” Cloud frowned. “But why would that affect Riku’s ability to shift?”

“It doesn’t. All who share cells with Jenova have a mental connection” Sephiroth replied, keeping his gaze on Cloud. “Riku can’t speak yet, so his thoughts aren’t words quite yet, but I can sense his moods”

“Wait - Hang on” Cloud stopped him, eyes wide as he tried to take in that information. “Are you saying you’ll be able to hear his thoughts later on? Because you’re both descendants of Jenova?!”

“Yes. I have always been able to hear the triplets as well” Sephiroth confirmed with a nod. “I used to be able to hear both my mom and my uncle before they passed away. Mother only grew silent once she died as well”

“That… That sounds maddening…! If you continuously have other voices going through your head, how can you ever focus? Is that why Riku is slower in his progress? Because the connection is overwhelming?” Cloud asked, slowly putting the pieces together. He didn’t mind that his son was different, of course, but he was worried about him still.

“It’s possible, yes. I’m so used to it that it’s easy to tune the triplets out by now, but Riku hasn’t learned how to do that yet” 

“Will you teach him?”

“Of course I will, even though it should be easy for him to figure out on his own. I haven’t tuned him out since the first time I heard him because… Well, I enjoy his presence in my mind” Sephiroth admitted as Cloud finally settled down and snuggled against him again. “The triplets were rather confused the first time he joined us and bombarded me with questions”

“Did Loz cry?” Angeal asked teasingly, having met the three quite a lot of times.

“Of course he did” Sephiroth chuckled. “Yazoo cried as well, and Kadaj tried to remain more stoic and unfazed. As if our minds aren’t closely intertwined and I could literally sense his overwhelming joy as well”

“They sound rather different from you” Cloud pointed out with a grin. “Will they be visiting as well?”

“As soon as they’re able, yes. I believe they’re already on their way” Sephiroth hummed and purred as Cloud decided to rub his scalp gently. “They’re impatient at the best of times”

“And how about your brother?” Cloud asked, turning a small smile to Angeal. “What was his name again? Gladilus?”

“Gladiolus. Gladio for short” Angeal confirmed with a nod. “Him and Ignis have to travel quite far to get here, but they do want to visit as well. I think Iris will enjoy being the older cousin. She had just learned how to crawl when we saw her three years ago”

“That’s nice” Cloud said, a smile on his face despite the sharp pain of jealousy that ran through his chest. 

He was truly happy that his children wouldn’t be as lonely as he had been. He was happy that they had both cousins and uncles along with their five, doting parents.    
But his mother wouldn’t be there to see them. His ma would never get to meet her grandchildren, and he would never be able to share his new family with his old one. He wanted nothing more than to have Aerith and Tifa be their aunts, and Barret as one of their uncles. He knew that their child would be around the same age as Riku and Xion, and it would have been perfect for them to play together as cousins…

But it was impossible. It just wasn’t meant to be. 

His old pack resented him, were scared of him, and they were right to. He had seen what the world of predators was like, and while he didn’t mind it for himself - He didn’t want to expose his beloved pack to a world where they were considered nothing but food and amusement. He himself barely belonged, and they would be worse off still. 

It was a dream - an impossible one. He knew that, and still he couldn’t stop his heart from aching.

“Hey, you alright?” Angeal asked gently, reaching down to kiss Cloud’s forehead and tugging him out of those thoughts. “You disappeared on us there for a while”

“Yeah, sorry” Cloud replied with a sigh as he reached up to kiss Angeal gently on the lips. “I just thought about my old pack… They would have made wonderful aunts. And all this talk about mothers, well…”

“I know what you mean” Angeal hummed with a nod. “I wish my parents could have met them as well. Life is cruel, but the best we can do is taking care of each other so we’ll be able to meet our own grandchildren at some point”

“Isn’t it too early to think about that, grandpa?” Cloud teased, coaxing a chuckle out of Sephiroth. 

“Not at all. Just look - grey hairs already” Angeal teased in return, taking some of Sephiroth’s long hair and draping it over his face. He looked so silly and the joke was so bad that Cloud was completely pulled out of his earlier sad thoughts and let out a laugh. Sephiroth most certainly did not laugh, but he had to hide a smile as he pushed Angeal away with a palm to the face. 

“I should kick you out of the bed for that” Sephiroth said, voice completely dead-pan and just making Cloud laugh even harder. 

“You like me too much to do that” Angeal retorted, though he did let Sephiroth’s hair fall to the side. 

“Hmph. I question my judgement sometimes. Surely I wouldn’t have picked a mate with such a shitty sense of humor”

“You like my other qualities enough to make up for the humor” Angeal pointed out with a happy rumble in his chest. Sephiroth simply hummed with a smug grin and spread his legs just a bit. It could easily have been mistaken for a casual shift to get comfortable, but Angeal had been with him long enough to see it as the invitation that it was. 

Angeal immediately rolled on top of Sephiroth, settling between his spread legs while also making sure he wouldn’t crush Cloud.

“It’s been some time since I got to experience your other qualities, beloved. Maybe you should remind me” Sephiroth suggested in a purr. Angeal simply grinned at that and leaned in to kiss Sephiroth properly. The kiss swiftly grew into something more heated and wet once Sephiroth let out a quiet, pleased sigh. Angeal still had a pleased growl rumbling in his chest and he rolled his hips up teasingly to press them together. 

Cloud wasn’t part of the kiss, but he didn’t mind at all thanks to the view he had. He found both of his mates attractive, of course, but in different ways that complimented each other perfectly. Sephiroth’s slender strength against Angeal’s broad, compact form was a wonder to see, and Cloud bit his lips unconsciously in appreciation. Sephiroth looked almost feminine under Angeal, and the contrast was doing things to Cloud. 

As the two started to rock together more firmly, Cloud started to rub himself against Sephiroth’s hip. Sephiroth didn’t seem to mind, and when Cloud leaned in to kiss and nip along the alpha’s neck, he let out a breathless moan against Angeal’s lips. Angeal seemed to be in a rather playful mood, because the moment he heard that and figured out what Cloud was doing - he sought the omega’s gaze pointedly. 

“It’s been a while since I properly spoiled him. Wanna help me?” he asked, his growl growing louder as Cloud nodded. 

“Of course. Always up to make Seph squirm” Cloud grinned, ignoring the scandalized huff the tiger let out. “Where do you want me?”

“I need you to keep his cock occupied” Angeal instructed as he leaned back to give Cloud some room to work. “I suggest you lay on top of him. He can’t lick you, but the smell should still have an effect on him”

“Yes sir” Cloud grinned and did as he was asked. He placed his legs on opposite sides of Sephiroth’s head and leaned down so that he could kiss the tip of Sephiroth’s cock, earning himself a pleasured hiss. 

Just like Angeal had suspected, Cloud’s scent was already doing things to Sephiroth - mind and body alike. He desperately wanted to pleasure Cloud in turn, but he knew from experience that his ribbed tongue caused nothing but problems when he tried to use it. He never rimmed his mates - Not because he didn’t want to, but because he had hurt them the times he had actually tried.   
Still, the slick scent of Cloud’s arousal caused his cock to throb and it was a struggle to stay still. 

Cloud, meanwhile, enjoyed the position of power that he suddenly had over his alpha. He enjoyed the musky scent of him and the salty taste on his tongue as he toyed with the sides and tip of the cock. He was purring continuously now, rubbing his cock against the top of Sephiroth’s chest. Once he took the shaft into his mouth, both of them moaned in pleasure. Sephiroth at the wet heat, and Cloud at the silky weight on his tongue. 

Some time during the teasing, Angeal had left the bed to fetch oil, but Sephiroth had been so lost in the sensations Cloud was inflicting on his body that he hadn’t even noticed. He only realized that Angeal had both left and come back once he felt a slick, thick finger push inside him. He let out a surprised snarl and his legs twitched as if his first instinct was to close them, but both of his mates kept his legs spread apart properly. 

“Ah-! Angeal…!” he grunted, doing his best to relax as Angeal was starting to prepare him properly. He kept a steady, gentle pace as he fingered the other alpha. He wasn’t aiming for his prostate quite yet as he didn’t want him too overwhelmed. Besides, it had been quite some time since Sephiroth was on the receiving end. 

“That’s it, baby, just relax~ We’ve got you” Angeal purred as he slowly worked a second finger inside, moaning at the gasp Sephiroth let out. He had been a little worried about the sounds they might make being overheard by their cubs, but he had double checked the silencing spell that Sephiroth had put up between the rooms and knew that there was nothing to worry about.    
They would be able to hear if something happened with the cubs, but none of their very adult noises would make their way into the cub corner. 

Most people would assume that Sephiroth wouldn’t submit to his mates like this - especially seeing as he was the leading alpha of their pack, but he saw no reason not to. It felt amazing, he trusted them, and it was great for everyone involved. Admittedly it was a little difficult to focus and allow himself to relax because of the omega pheromones in the air, but he did his best. 

As Angeal kept stretching him and Cloud kept sucking him off, he could feel his orgasm build up rather fast. He couldn’t really warn them, as he was losing the ability to speak every second spent breathing in Cloud’s pheromones, but they knew his tells by now. Cloud would have been happy to swallow his cum, but Angeal didn’t want Sephiroth to reach that point quite yet. With his free hand, he took a firm grip around the base of the other alpha’s cock, stopping the incoming orgasm effectively. Cloud let out a somewhat disappointed coo as he had wanted to taste him, but it was drowned out by the loud snarl of frustration that Sephiroth let out. He bucked his hips blindly, but Angeal kept his grip tight as a vice. He angled his fingers upwards, and once he rubbed Sephiroth’s prostate properly, the snarl faded into a submissive, pleased whimper. 

“Off, Cloud” Angeal commanded firmly, chuckling at the impatient chirp he let out. Sure, Angeal was also affected and aroused by the scents in the air as well as the erotic picture his mates had made, but unlike the other two he hadn’t had his nose literally pressed against the source of it. Because of that, he wasn’t quite as lost in his instincts as the others, and was therefore able to order them around. Not for much longer, but enough to make sure that they would all get as much pleasure as possible. 

He pulled his fingers out and moved into position to enter Sephiroth smoothly. A small fight of dominance did happen, as Sephiroth bucked his hips and bared his teeth out of instinct. They both wanted it, but it was natural for an alpha to struggle briefly. Angeal simply responded with a snarl of his own as he slowly pressed the tip inside the other alpha, shivering in pleasure at the moan and whine that slipped past Sephiroth’s lips. He tensed for a moment, and only once he relaxed fully did Angeal slide all the way inside. 

Both of them were panting as they were losing themselves in the sensation of being so intimately connected. Once Sephiroth tilted his head back and exposed his neck, Angeal started to move, and that was it. The brief struggle for dominance was over, and only pleasure awaited them. They had done it many times, and Angeal was used to being in firm control of himself all the way through. 

However, they didn’t normally have an eager, demanding omega in bed with them when they did it.    
And Cloud would not be left out. 

With a simple move, he straddled Sephiroth despite how the alphas were rocking together, and sank down on Sephiroth’s hard cock with a moan. Angeal didn’t have a chance to stop him, and now they were all just along for the ride. Sephiroth straight up wailed and bucked his hips, but Angeal held him in place. As Cloud had his back pressed up against Angeal’s chest, he was close enough for Angeal to lose himself in the pleasant scent of omega as well, and so he too was lost to the instincts. He guided their movements as every thrust made Sephiroth rock up into Cloud, and the omega was more than happy with the position. Sephiroth’s cock was wonderful and long, and given how they had been teasing him, he wasn’t surprised to feel that his knot had already started to form. 

He purred and moaned as he was fucked so nicely, and he reached out to rub his cock without shame. Angeal pressed his face into the nape of Cloud’s neck and growled as he breathed in the potent pheromones. He moved them faster and faster, adoring the noises both of his mates let out every time he bucked his hips.    
He started to nip and bite along Cloud’s shoulders as the tension in all of them grew, and this time none of them wanted to stop what was going on. 

As it turned out, they should maybe have talked about it beforehand. When Angeal and Sephiroth had mounted each other before, it had been fine because there had been no pheromones present that could make them accidentally knot each other. With Cloud that close and involved however, both of the alphas’ bodies were convinced that they needed to knot an omega, which was true for Sephiroth but  _ not _ for Angeal.

Sephiroth came first, filling Cloud generously as his knot locked them together, which in turn pushed Cloud over the edge and made him cum on Sephiroth’s chest.    
The tightness brought Angeal over the edge, and his hormone addled brain didn’t see why he would have to pull out before cumming. Instead he kept going, thrusting harder until he too knotted and came inside his mate. 

His alpha mate that had never taken a knot before. 

Sephiroth shrieked, which was startling enough to pull both of his mates out of their pleasured high, and Angeal cursed when he realized what he had done. 

“Ah, fuck…! Seph, I’m so sorry…! I didn’t- This wasn’t-...!” he babbled, instinctively trying to pull back but being unable to. Cloud was stuck on top of Sephiroth and couldn’t help even if he knew how. 

Sephiroth kept his gaze fixed on the ceiling with a conflicted pout. His cheeks were still flushed from the pleasure, and while he seemed surprised he didn’t seem to be in too much pain. Still, Angeal nearly panicked. 

“Sephiroth, babe, please say something…! Are you alright?” Angeal asked, shifting just a little again, which caused the strangest thing to happen. 

Sephiroth let out another whimper, his mouth falling open and at the same time, Cloud gasped in surprise. 

“Did you just-!?” he breathed, squeezing around the cock in him. “Did you just cum again? From Angeal’s knot?”

Sephiroth didn’t respond with words, but his face grew even redder before he covered it with his hands. His mortified groan was more than enough to confirm that he had, indeed, just cum twice because Angeal knotted him. 

As they all sat there stunned, Genesis suddenly came through the doorway from the cub room. He yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily, only to stop dead as he took in the sight in front of him. He blinked once, and then grinned playfully. 

“Well well well, I see you three are having some fun” he teased. As the three of them seemed to blush even harder and Sephiroth kept hiding his face, Genesis frowned in confusion and tilted his head to the side. 

“What’s wrong? I’ve seen all of you in more compromising positions before?”

“Well we, ehm… We didn’t mean to but-” Angeal sputtered, before hiding his face in Cloud’s neck again. 

“... Angeal knotted Seph” Cloud admitted, still throbbing around the cock inside him. “And… And it made him cum”

The concern that had filled Genesis’ gaze at the first statement disappeared completely at the last part, and was replaced by clear amusement. 

“... Are you… Are you serious?” Genesis snickered. When none of them replied verbally, but rather with groans of both arousal and embarrassment, Genesis let out a loud, amused cackle. 

“My my! If only we had known that Sephiroth enjoys taking large cocks I would have insisted on this earlier!! I can’t wait to tell Zack!”


	23. Uncles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bath is taken (finally), uncles are introduced, and something sinister is growing on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! 
> 
> Happy new year!! Let's all hope that 2021 turns out better than whatever the fuck happened with 2020.   
> The world is a strange place right now, and I hope you're all as safe and happy as you can possibly be <3 
> 
> I myself have recently adopted to rescue cats from a shelter, and I am a VERY excited new cat parent! So don't get surprised if some of the cat stuff ends up in this fic somehow ;) 
> 
> No warnings for this chapter! Just wholesome family, and the Remnants being.......... Themselves.

“Come on~ It’s not dangerous, baby. It’s just water” Zack cooed as he gently rocked Xion in his arms. She seemed a little uncertain and expressed it with a little worried coo. She was in her bear form, which meant that Zack was likely to get more than a couple of scratches if she spooked, but he couldn’t care less. He would proudly wear any scars given by their precious children after all. 

It was easy to see why she was a little concerned. It was time for the cubs’ first bath with their fathers in the hot spring tucked away in the deepest parts of the mountain. Not only had Xion and Riku never been there before, but now they were about to step into the large, scary, unknown pool of water! If it wasn’t for the fact that three of her parents were already in the scary water, she would have growled and struggled rather than cling to her dad. 

Riku seemed calmer, just barely pressing himself against Cloud’s chest a little tighter than before. His tail swished, his ears were tilted just a little and his pupils were tiny slits, but he didn’t verbally complain like his sister did. 

“Are you sure the temperature is alright?” Cloud asked again, a little apprehensive as well even though he knew deep down that it was safe for everyone involved. 

“Yes. Just as sure as I was five minutes ago” Genesis sighed and moved over to the edge. “Come on, it’s going to be fine! They’re going to love it - I’m sure of it”

“Riku is fine - Just a little nervous” Sephiroth confirmed with a nod. “I’m doing my best to calm him mentally”

“Thank you” Cloud said with a small purr, kissing the top of Riku’s soft head. He braced himself and took the first step into the water, finally making Riku let out a worried mewl and cling tighter to him. Cloud did his best to calm him with little gentle coos, as he slowly sat down in the water with the cub clinging to his chest. 

Riku was rather confused by the sensation of the water. It wasn’t… Bad. It was warm, but it was strange. Like air, but slower to move in, and when he stretched out one of his paws, it caused a strange ripple across the surface that his eyes were immediately drawn to. He was old enough to become fixated with moving things, but he was still a little apprehensive. He growled uncertainly as Sephiroth moved over to them to calm him. He nuzzled the little tiger, while sending him calming little pulses through their bond, and finally Riku decided that there was nothing (or at least very little) to be afraid of, because his parents wouldn’t let him get hurt. 

Now that Riku had shown that it wasn’t (overly) dangerous, Zack tried to step in with Xion as well. She cried a little, clinging harder to her dad and leaving red marks on his shoulders and back. 

“Come on, baby girl, it’s gonna be fine” Genesis cooed once the water reached her furry little bum. She let out yet another noise of complaint, but Angeal swam over to kiss the top of her head and rumble comfortingly to her. Cloud hadn’t known that bears purred, but it was something he’d been shown quite immediately once Xion was born. Even Genesis had rarely heard Angeal purr before, but he did it almost every day with their daughter whenever she grew worried or impatient. 

It seemed to work somewhat well, even though she was still confused and refused to let go of Zack. 

“Well, this went better than expected” Zack laughed as he rocked her gently, the gentle splashing seemingly catching Riku’s interest. 

“You’re literally bleeding, love” Angeal chuckled and kissed his cheek, but Zack just huffed and kept rocking their daughter gently. 

“I am proud to get to bleed for our cubs”

“I thought Gen was the dramatic beta” Cloud teased, as Riku started to use his little paws to smash the ripples on the water. “This isn’t a battle, Zack”

“Of course it is! It’s a battle of wills! A great show of courage from our little ones! And just look how fiercely Riku is fighting the dangerous waves!” Zack argued in return, and Sephiroth nodded. 

“I agree. It took great courage on their part to fight the swirling depths of the bath” he said in the most deadpan voice he could muster, causing his mates to chuckle. 

“Yeah yeah, whatever you say” Cloud hummed and rolled his eyes, gently handing Riku over to Genesis who had started to make grabby hands towards the little cub. Once Riku had tugged his head up under his ma’s chin, they all settled back to relax in the warm water. They knew they didn’t have too much time to relax before the cubs would grow impatient and play around more in the water, so they took whichever chance they got. 

“I can’t believe it’s already been three months” Cloud sighed as he sank down further into the water, until the surface of it reached all the way up to his lower lip. “Or that it’s  _ only _ been three months. It feels both like an eternity and like the blink of an eye”

“I know what you mean” Zack agreed with a nod. “Just a year ago I didn’t even think that we’d ever have cubs and yet here we are with two. I didn’t even think there would even be an omega in our lives before Cloudy happened”

“An unexpected blessing but a blessing nonetheless” Genesis agreed, keeping a safe grip on Riku as the little cub started to try to move around in the water more. “And seeing as the snow is starting to melt, we’ll be able to bring them out of the cave soon. I can’t wait to show them around!” 

“I think we’re all eager to get out into the sun properly” Sephiroth agreed, leaning back against the edge of the pool and tugging Cloud closer for a casual cuddle. Sephiroth may seem stoic to most people who didn’t know him, but in private he tended to be incredibly physically affectionate - second only to Zack. “... Kadaj contacted me this morning, by the way”

“Oh?” Angeal asked, wrapping an arm around Zack and Zion as the little bear started to copy her brother and try to splash around. “Any news?”

“Yes. He thinks they’ll be here in three days, or so, depending on whether they run into hunters and the overall state of things. Lots of rivers tend to flood at this time of year so they might have to change course to travel safely”

“Right. We should have enough food and shelter to house them properly” Angeal hummed and nodded, spluttering as Xion tried to jump out of Zack’s arms and thus splashing her fathers with a rather large wave of water. Both cubs were chittering happily now, apparently having fun rather than cautious. 

“You mentioned them before, just only said that they were your cousins, or brothers” Cloud hummed, allowing Sephiroth to run his fingers through his spiky hair. “Could you tell me a little bit more?”

“Well, there’s obviously three of them. Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz. Kadaj is their leader, despite being an omega, but the three move and exist as a unit. They never use actual words when they’re on their own, simply because they don’t need to. Honestly, there may be three of them, but they might as well just be one person given how tightly they’re intertwined at all times” Sephiroth hummed as he started to rub soap into Cloud’s hair. 

“Is it unusual for omegas to be leaders?” Cloud asked, letting Sephiroth do as he liked. 

“Somewhat, but it isn’t unheard of. They don’t have anyone to compete with though - They don’t have a pack”

“So… it’s just the three of them?”

“Yes. They have no interest in anyone else. Besides, anyone who’d try to create a pack with them would be an outsider to their mental link” he said, tapping the side of his head for emphasis. “And honestly, their lack of social interaction with others has made them a little… awkward. Different, so to speak”

“Different how…?” Cloud asked, glancing at him uncertainly. He didn’t think they’d hurt the cubs, but he couldn’t help but worry just a little. 

“It’s difficult to explain. I didn’t know that they were considered strange until I met Angeal and Genesis” Sephiroth admitted. 

“They are more prone to give in to urges” Angeal offered, causing Genesis to chuckle. 

“You could say that. They can seem childish, immature, they have no concept for personal boundaries or personal space… They’re lovely though, and very affectionate towards family” he added. “You’ll see. It’s a little difficult to explain”

Four days later, he did see. He also immediately understood why their behaviour was difficult to explain. 

He didn’t know what he had expected them to look like, but it was beyond obvious that they were related to Sephiroth given their hair and eyes. That wasn’t surprising.    
What was surprising was how they moved. Or rather, it wasn’t surprising, but it  _ was  _ unsettling. 

In human forms, they moved more fluidly than most, keeping some form of feline qualities despite their two legs and lack of fur. They seemed to move as one, their heads tilting at the exact same angle in the exact same direction at the exact same time. They also didn’t use words when they first appeared, which he supposed he had been warned about. 

When they arrived, the entire pack was there to greet them. They moved up to Sephiroth first, butting their foreheads against his in a decidedly feline way and rubbing their cheeks against his. They didn’t use words, but they did let out little chirping noises and huffs, which gave the impression that they were very much having a conversation even though it was silent. 

“I told you to use words when visiting my home” Sephiroth scolded them gently once they’d greeted him properly, confirming that Cloud’s suspicions had been correct. 

“Sorry, brother” Kadaj said, glancing around at the gathered pack behind Sephiroth. “It’s easy to forget that others can’t hear”

“Mother hasn’t blessed them” Yazoo agreed, as all three of them nodded in turn. 

“Good to see you still” Loz grinned, as they walked past Sephiroth to greet the rest of them. 

Cloud and Zack stood with the cubs at the back of the pack, simply because Cloud was a little cautious, the cubs had never met their uncles before, and Zack wanted to offer comfort and support to them. 

It was strange to see these, to him, strangers get so up and close with his mates. Genesis wasn’t kidding when he said that they didn’t really get the concept of personal space given how close they got when they bumped foreheads and rubbed cheeks. Yazoo was similar enough to Sephiroth that it didn’t cause any jealousy to rise in Cloud when he snuggled up to either of them, but both Kadaj and Loz made him have to hold back a possessive growl.

When the four of them were finally approached, the triplets went for Zack and Riku first. Or rather, they went for Riku first. Zack just happened to be there. They all chirped at him in greeting, leaning in until their noses basically touched so they could sniff at each other. Riku didn’t seem at all scared or worried, which shouldn’t have come to a surprise to Cloud, but it still did somehow. Riku had been connected to his uncles since he was born after all, and that was something that Cloud felt strangely upset about. Learning about the mental connection was one thing, but seeing it in action was another. 

Would Riku always be bound to them more than he was to Cloud? He had given birth to him and fed him, sure, but… He didn’t have that link. He didn’t have a bond with his son like the one these three unknown men did. It felt unfair somehow, and it made him more than a little possessive. 

When they were finally done with Riku and Zack (having butted his forehead as well now), they turned their slitted eyes to Cloud and Xion. Cloud could feel his grip on his daughter grow just a little tighter as he tensed up, still eyeing the three of them suspiciously. 

While he managed to keep the urge to growl in check, Xion did not. She didn’t know these strange big people. They were not her parents, they smelled weird, and she had to defend her food parent from the strange new threat. Her fur fluffed up just a little, and she let out the most threatening growl she could muster. 

Admittedly, it wasn’t that threatening. 

It was, unfortunately, adorable. 

“How cute~” Yazoo cooed, as Loz grinned and Kadaj simply sneered. “What a little alpha~”

“You don’t know if she’s alpha” Loz pointed out, nudging his brother with his elbow. 

“She sure acts like one though~! Think she’d bite my finger off if I tried to touch her?”

“Her mother might” Kadaj commented, and finally Cloud allowed himself to let out a growl. 

“I’m not her mother. Genesis is” He replied, frowning deeper as the three grinned even wider in their uncanny way. 

“Is that so?”

“Hey foxy - You have a pussy you didn’t tell us about?” Loz asked Genesis, causing the latter to snort. 

“None other than your older brother. Stop tormenting them and just introduce yourselves before we let Cloud kick your pale asses”

“Wouldn’t that be fun” Yazoo cooed as Loz nodded in agreement. 

“I love playing games! Especially when there’s blood involved”

“Brothers. Stop.” Kadaj said firmly, interrupting them and causing them to step back enough to give him room. As he stepped closer, Cloud realized that they were the same size, and he didn’t know what to do with that information. 

“I’m sorry about this, we’re just very excited to see the family expand” he purred as he leaned in to bump his forehead against Cloud’s in a greeting and an apology. It did little to ease Cloud’s tension though, as he wasn’t used to being greeted in such a way by strangers. Besides, the last time he had met carnivores who weren’t his mates, things hadn’t gone well. 

  
Nonetheless, he allowed it. If there was something he had learned from his ma, it was the importance of being a good host. They were Sephiroth’s brothers, which meant they were family, and that was more important to him than how uncomfortable he felt. 

“My name is Kadaj, as I’m sure Big Brother has already told you. This is Yazoo, and this is Loz” Kadaj said once he was done with the headbutting. 

“I’m Cloud. This is Xion. I don’t suggest you lean in too close - She isn’t as polite as I am, and her claws are sharp” Cloud said, keeping his face as neutral as he could. 

“Figures” Kadaj snorted. “She’s quite the mystery to us. We can’t hear her at all”

“We thought all of Big Brother’s children would be brought into Mother’s embrace” Loz explained, as if that would make any sense to Cloud. 

“We pity her, but love her still” Yazoo agreed with a nod. “Big Brother told us to, so we do”

“... Wait what?” Cloud asked as his frown got deeper. “You love her because Sephiroth told you to?”

“Of course” Kadaj said as they shrugged. “We don’t bother with those who aren’t Mother’s unless Big Brother tells us to”

“We don’t need others” Loz said. 

“We don’t really want others” Yazoo added. 

“And so, we don’t bother” Kadaj finally said, as though that explanation made sense. In a way Cloud supposed he could see their line of logic, but… Their eyes were still unnerving, and he couldn’t help but fidget under their combined stare. 

  
Xion could sense that her parent was feeling upset, though she couldn’t tell why, and she wanted to comfort him. So she rumbled gently, and licked his jaw with a little encouraging noise. Some of the tension left him immediately at that, and he couldn’t help but smile down at her and nuzzle her in thanks. 

“Now that everyone is introduced, I suggest we move somewhere more comfortable and have some dinner” Sephiroth said, causing the three to immediately turn to him with eager grins. 

“Yes”

“Sure”

“Of course”

“Angeal, did you prepare the fire?” Sephiroth asked as they moved further into the mountain, into the chamber that Cloud had named the ‘living room’ in his mind. He had told the pack about the concept, but only Genesis seemed to take the words to heart. Zack just found it strange, because the word ‘living room’ implied that all other rooms would be ‘dying rooms’.

“Of course. It should be warm by now” Angeal replied. “You go ahead while Gen and I fetch the meat”

Sephiroth simply nodded as he lead them on into the chamber in question. 

There was a fire pit in the middle of the room, surrounded by several stuffed furs and other things to sit on. Though it looked as though the fire was in the open and thus a risk to any little paws or fingers that would want to touch them, Genesis had made sure to put a barrier spell on the area. It still let in oxygen to keep the fire going, but wouldn’t let anyone but himself reach in to touch the flames. 

They all settled down around the fire, passing around the food once it was brought in. Cloud also took the chance to feed the cubs as they were starting to make little noises to him. Zack also sliced up some small pieces of meat for them, as they had started to move on to solid foods gradually. Just some slight bits of meat, and always combined with the milk that was steadily growing more and more unappealing to them. 

“Do you have any news about the outside world?” Angeal asked once they were all full, even if some of them enjoyed chewing on some of the bones that had been left. 

“Mmmm, a little” Kadaj hummed and leaned back, completely ignoring the fact that both of his brothers were cleaning the blood from his cheeks with their tongues. Again, something that seemed entirely natural to them, but incredibly jarring to Cloud. 

“Two rivers nearby have been flooded and made it difficult to travel, so you might find more prey closer to your borders when spring comes. Easier fish too” he said, winking at Angeal. 

“Speaking of prey, I was wondering if you had heard any strange news from around your territory” Sephiroth asked, as he offered a small bone to Riku for him to gnaw on. “Reeve mentioned that humans have been targeting Kalm”

“They’ve  _ what _ !?” Genesis asked, seemingly horrified and shocked. “Why didn’t you tell us?!”

“Because I wanted to wait. It wasn’t a pressing matter” Sephiroth replied. “Reeve seems uncertain as well, and if it’s an issue that only applies to their area, then we can trust them to hold their own. No one has been out and moving near our borders until these three, so they have the freshest information” 

Genesis huffed, having several issues with that argument, but he was interrupted as Cloud spoke out. 

“Kalm? As in the Herbivore Settlement?” Cloud asked, receiving a confirming nod by both Angeal and Sephiroth. 

“Yes. It’s under Reeve’s protection” Angeal explained. “They have their rights to safe havens, just as we do”

  
“Why would humans go after herbivores? That makes no sense” Cloud argued.

“Agreed. That is what we need to figure out. Some humans through the ages have come up with strange games and entertainment. Some that ruined things for years to come, and some that were no more dangerous than games cubs play”

“We did spot some things” Kadaj said, stretching languidly and scratching his jaw gently with his foot, just like he would in his tiger form. 

“Almost all human territories had new structures up” Yazoo added. “They looked the same a lot”

“Same size, same color, same distance from their lairs” Loz added even further, counting each fact on his fingers. 

“They didn’t want them too close to where they sleep, so they were easier for us to get close to” Kadaj said. 

“Lots of traps around though, so we stayed at a distance” Yazoo said gravely, as all three of them nodded. 

“What kind of structures?” Sephiroth asked, glancing at Cloud to see if he would know what they were talking about. 

“It looked like their normal lairs. Bigger though. Some weren’t finished, but we found one that was” said Loz. 

“We don’t know what they are, but there was something about it that smelled…. Bad” Yazoo said, as all three of them barely suppressed a shudder of disgust. 

“It gave a huge feeling of… Dread. Certain death. Something bad” Kadaj said. “There was only one that made us feel like that, and it was rather far away. We think they may have put a spell on it”

“That could be possible…” Genesis hummed. “Some spells are created to put up an impenetrable barrier of dread, similar to the one we have at the entrance”

“I doubt it” said Cloud with a frown. “Humans don’t really deal with magic all that much, and if they do, it’s only thanks to materia and to deal with small things. Lighting fires, creating artificial ice, simple barriers, things like that. They rely more on technology and science”

“What do you think it is? You have the most knowledge about prey and their lairs” Sephiroth asked, leaning towards Cloud just a little in interest. 

“I… Don’t know. It doesn’t sound like anything I’ve heard of before” he frowned. “Some villages build prisons and such on the outskirts, but it sounds strange that several villages would suddenly be building prisons at once”

“Perhaps they’ve come up with new ideas of magic thanks to the herbivores?” Zack suggested, but Cloud shook his head. 

“Doubt it. Herbivores have magic like we do, because they’re shifters, but remember that it took me meeting you all for me to learn that all shifters are inherently magical” Cloud pointed out. “All shifters are told are… Well, that we’re different. Like a bird happens to be different from a fish. Nobody knows about the whole lifestream and magic business. I mean… Some claim to believe in the lifestream, but there are many different things people believe in, and there is no way of knowing what’s actually true”

“Alright, so it may not be magic, but you mentioned science and technology, right? Do you need somewhere to practise those? Like, some areas are closer connected to the lifestream. Are some areas better for technology?” Zack asked, while engaging in a tug-o-war with Xion over a rib. 

“That depends on what you’re making, I suppose. Some things make noise, and people don’t want to be close to that because they don’t want to be disturbed. There are factories in some larger cities, where they’ve gathered a lot of people to create things in one building, but what could regular villages possibly be needing factories for? There’s nothing but farmers in any village within a week’s travel from here!”

“... Well, is it possible that they’re changing things up?” Zack pressed again, letting Xion have the bone and the victory. 

“I… I suppose, but I can’t imagine what the factories would be used for” Cloud said, trying really hard to think of something. If only he could still talk to Tifa, Aerith and Barret…!

“We will keep a close eye on them and report this to Reeve as well” Sephiroth said with a final nod. “Surveillance and espionage will be easier once the snow melts. Until then, I’m sure Reeve has some birds that can help. Until then, let’s just keep going as we always have. There is no reason to panic quite yet.”

All of them nodded, but Cloud couldn’t shake the persistent feeling of unease crawling through him. 

What were the humans building, and why did they target herbivores to do it?    
Were they building in Nibelheim as well?   
Was his previous family safe?

He desperately wanted to believe that they were, no matter what, but he had a bad feeling about it. 

For now, he had to push it away however, and stop his daughter from eating his son’s tail. 


	24. The smell of a horse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spring is here, and with it the family decides to spend a lovely morning outside. 
> 
> Suddenly, a scent is picked up.
> 
> A very special scent....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you all for your patience!!!! 
> 
> I was stuck on what to do and where to go with the story honestly. I have things planned out, and the problem was stretching the time out between the most specific scenes. Then finally I decided "Why not just write this one part that has been on my brain since I started this fic??? Why N O T?"
> 
> And so here it is! The beginning of the next big arc <3 Enjoy!!

The triplets didn’t stay with them too long. They didn’t like being around others, even if they were family, and were eager to get back to their own territory. The cubs were a bit disappointed that their new playmates would be leaving so soon, but their parents didn’t mind too much.    
They loved the triplets, but Cloud and Genesis both thought that it was like having three additional children living with them. The difference being that these three additional children were strong and could do actual damage to their lair. Despite their size and strength though, they played very gently with both Riku and Xion. 

Sephiroth would never admit out loud just how adorable he thought it was to see his cubs ‘wrestle’ Loz to the ground as he begged for mercy, but his mates were easily able to tell even without being part of the Jenova mind-link. 

During the week that the triplets had stayed with them, the last of the snow had melted and the first signs of spring could be seen. The weather grew warmer, the daylight lasted longer, and birds were chirping louder every morning. This meant that they would finally be ready to bring the cubs outside, which was both a great relief and terrifying to an extent. 

It was a relief, because all of them were eager to move around more outside together. No one in the pack, aside from maybe Angeal, handled being cooped inside well. Sure, they had all been able to go outside during the winter, but there had been limitations to how far they could go and for how long. They had only gone outside to stretch their legs somewhat and check on the safety of their territory, but there hadn’t been time for frollicking, running and playing in the same way. Zack especially was dying to just run until he couldn’t anymore. 

However, the fact that they would be bringing their precious cubs outside of the safety of the lair was nerve-wracking to their parents - Mainly to Cloud and Sephiroth. It didn’t matter how many times they went over how objectively safe the territory was - that there were spells in place, that the cubs would never be left alone out there, and that all five of their parents were powerful enough to handle anything that could intrude upon their home. The unease just wouldn’t seem to settle. 

Still, they knew it had to happen eventually, and on an especially warm and bright morning - They let the cubs out of the mountain for the first time. 

All of them were transformed, hoping that being surrounded by animals would encourage Xion to stay in her safe, fuzzy form rather than her much more fragile human one. 

Just like all things new, the outside world was a little scary to the little ones. They flat out refused to move from the spot where they’d been put down once they’d been carried out of the mountain. Their parents were patient however, and simply pretended that they weren’t paying attention to the unsure cubs, and were instead leading by example. If their parents could focus on other things than protecting them, then surely it had to be safe, right?

Cloud and Zack chased each other around, running faster than the cubs had ever seen, and they seemed to have fun doing it. Sephiroth was stretching himself calmly, and sharpened his claws against the trunk of a tree, while Angeal used another to scratch his back. Genesis joined the wolves in their chase for a little while, but soon decided to stroll through some small berry bushes that he found - Clearly able to scent something.    
  


Their different fun activities, and the lack of hostility or protective scents coming from their parents, helped make the cubs understand that maybe it wasn’t dangerous to be outside. Maybe it could even be fun…!

Carefully, step by step, the cubs left their spot and inspected what their parents were doing. Riku tried to do what Sephiroth had done before, and found that the trunk was great for his claws. It smelled nice, it felt nice, and it seemed to ease a tension in his paws that he hadn’t been aware of. The gentle encouragement he got from his father was an added bonus. 

Xion wasn’t too interested in the trees, but she was very interested in what her Ma was doing. Her and Genesis were almost the same size in their animal forms, but she was far clumsier as she trod through the bushes. Genesis kept his eyes on her every second and was prepared to stop her if she tried to put something in her mouth that she wasn’t supposed to, but didn’t stop her when she tried to eat one of the berries that surrounded them. He wouldn’t have lead his daughter into a poisonous bush of berries after all, and she was obviously happy with the treat. 

When Riku was done with the tree, he grew curious about what his da and daddy were doing. He had tried running in the mountain, of course, but The Outside was more open. It seemed like he would be able to run more and faster, and so - he tried it out. Once Xion had eaten all the berries she had found, she too joined them in their chasing game.

**_“... Is it just me, or are the both of them acting more like wolves than their actual species?”_ ** Genesis asked Angeal and Sephiroth as the three settled into a pile to sunbathe and watch their family play. 

**_“What do you mean?”_ ** Angeal asked with an amused huff as Genesis burrowed in to sit on his back.

**_“I think I see it...”_ ** Sephiroth agreed, as it seemed like Riku let out a sound akin to a bark when he ‘caught up’ with Zack and ‘tackled him’ to the ground. Zack fell over dramatically and rolled over onto his back, his tail wagging as the cubs took the chance to attack his exposed belly. The way they played also revealed the thing that had made Genesis ask the question…

**_“Their tails are wagging”_ ** Genesis pointed out. **_“Tigers don’t wag their tail like wolves or foxes do. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen your tail move, Angeal, but Xion’s is clearly wagging back and forth”_ **

**_“... Three out of five parents show joy and excitement by wagging their tails - It’s only natural that they would mimic that”_ ** Sephiroth pointed out, glancing at Genesis’ own wagging tail with amusement. 

**_“Oh I know it makes sense. I simply find it too unbearably adorable”_ ** Genesis chittered, and Angeal couldn’t help himself. He simply HAD to make the joke….!

**_“I agree. It’s un_ ** **BEAR** **_able behaviour”_ **

Before Genesis could properly tear Angeal apart for a pun that bad, he felt the familiar and unpleasant sensation of someone crossing their borders.    
He perked up, ears towards where he had sensed the magical tingle, and a growl rumbled in his chest. Any form of playfulness or amusement left both Angeal and Sephiroth as well, as they knew what Genesis’ body language meant. 

**_“How many?”_ ** Sephiroth simply asked, as Angeal made a noise for the rest of their family to join them. 

**_“Six feet have crossed the line”_ ** Genesis replied, his hackles raised a fraction.  **_“It can’t be Reeve and Vincent… Have we invited anyone else recently?”_ **

**_“No”_ ** Sephiroth replied just as Zack, Cloud and the cubs reached them.  **_“It could just be prey, but I don’t want to take the risk. Genesis and Angeal will take the cubs back to the lair, while the three of us deal with the intruders”_ **

**_“And if it’s more of Don Corneo’s henchmen?”_ ** Angeal asked, before picking their cubs up and putting them onto his back so he could carry them. 

**_“There are three of them at most. Should Genesis feel more approaching, I trust you two to take the necessary precautions to make the mountain as safe as possible”_ **

No one had to say out loud that the cubs’ safety came first. They would all do anything and everything in their power to protect them after all.

Once Angeal, Genesis and the cubs were safely tucked away in the mountain, Sephiroth lead the wolves towards where the disturbance had been sensed. 

**_“What can you smell?”_ ** he asked, as the both of them did their best to pick up whatever scents the wind carried. 

**_“Lots of things, but none that seem to be dangerous”_ ** Zack said, and Cloud huffed in agreement.  **_“It isn’t scavengers or humans, so I would bet on prey shifters. Unless Corneo recently started using those, this might just be lost travelers about to meet their end… But why would prey travel this early? Or this way at all?”_ **

**_“It’s odd - I agree… Normally, they’d barely be coming out of hiding by now”_ ** Sephiroth growled, thinking back on the structures that Kadaj had mentioned. It was more than possible that this could be a trap of some form… A lure perhaps…

Cloud preferred not to talk while he scented and tracked. Spring was a lovely time of the year, but there were a lot of scents in the air that had been hidden under the snow the past months, and so it took him some time to sort it all out. The mud, the saplings, the little mice and other creatures that were running about - All of them had scents that he had to deal with before he could focus on what was amiss. If the intruders were indeed prey, it would be difficult to tell them apart from the other natural wildlife that were waking up. 

But there was something there… Something… sharp…

**_“I smell iron”_ ** he stated, which made Sephiroth growl louder. 

**“So potential weapons then… “**

**_“Yeah. There are several scents, but... I might be mistaken, but I can smell a horse”_ ** Zack huffed, raising his nose higher, and as Cloud followed his lead - he could smell it too. 

A horse and iron, which could mean a hunter. But there were other scents as well - ones that belonged to spring. They shouldn’t have concerned him, but the combination reminded him painfully of-

_ Wait… _

A horse. He could smell a  _ horse _ …. And he could also smell a badger and a rabbit.

_ Could it be-!? _

He was unable to hold himself back, and ran as fast as he could in the direction that he could smell the horse. He could hear both Sephiroth and Zack call out for him, along with the thumps of their steps as they tried to catch up with him, but all he could think about was that scent. Or rather, the possibility that the scent brought with it. At the back of his mind, he knew that his mates would be furious with him for running off into potential danger, but he couldn’t think clearly…!

He just had to confirm-...! He had to see-!!!

The scent grew stronger and stronger, and he ran faster and faster - desperate to get to it. 

Finally, he reached the clearing. Finally he could see whether he was right or not, and he could have wept in joy. 

He knew that black, beautiful coat. He knew the woman sitting on the horse’s back, and he knew the burly man that was next to them. 

  
… The man that was currently aiming his prosthetic crossbow at him.

The clear threat along with the shock caused Cloud to stop dead in his tracks with his gaze fixed on the trio in front of him. 

Tifa had reared back on her hind legs as a response to the predator that suddenly appeared in front of them, but Aerith was a skilled rider and held onto the reins enough that there was no risk of her falling off. Even when Tifa stood back down properly, she threw her head in a way that was clearly a threat, with her ears firmly backwards. 

“I’m warning you here and now, mutt - Take one step closer and I’ll put one arrow between those fucking eyes o’ yours” Barret threatened as he stepped out in front of Tifa and Aerith, still having an arrow pointed at Cloud, and finally the situation he was in started to sink in properly, and he cursed to himself. 

He had to shift in order to show them who he was, but if he moved he knew that Barret would shoot. Hell, given how things had gone down the last time they saw each other, Barret might shoot him even after seeing who he was! As if that wasn’t problematic enough, he could both smell and sense Zack and Sephiroth circling around the little pack of prey in the shadows - Clearly still undiscovered by the trio. If Cloud was hurt in any way, he knew that Zack and Sephiroth would tear them to pieces…!

There wasn’t much time to think, and Cloud knew that he had to act fast. Luckily, he knew Barret and his subtle tells. He knew where he was aiming and in which direction Cloud should move if he wanted to avoid the arrow. That was, unless Barret had changed since he last saw him, but it was a risk he would have to take. 

He readied himself, slid two paws back, and shifted in the motion. As he had expected, Barret wasted no time in firing the arrow, and it nearly missed Cloud entirely. It soared just past his right arm, but close enough to cut a shallow line into it. Instead of focusing on that, however, he turned to his right where he knew Sephiroth was. 

“Seph! Stop!” he snarled out, which only barely stopped Sephiroth in his leap forwards. The humongous tiger still placed himself between the pack of prey and Cloud, fangs bared, growling and with his tail swishing furiously behind him.

**_“They hurt you!”_ ** Sephiroth argued, making Cloud cover the bleeding wound with his hand as he shook his head. 

“Seph, you can’t! Don’t hurt them! They’re my pack!” he argued, and finally everything in the clearing fell completely still - Even Zack who was still hiding in the shadows. 

“... Cloud?” Aerith asked, her voice barely more than a whisper as she looked past the tiger at their lost friend. “Is… Is that you?”

“It is. I-I can’t believe it…!” Cloud said, smiling wider than he was used to as he took a couple of steps towards them - Feeling the incredible need to hug all of them properly. He was once again stopped however, as Barret reloaded the crossbow and kept aiming it at them, and Sephiroth placed himself firmly in Cloud’s way. 

“Sephiroth! Let me pass!” Cloud growled, but the tiger just growled louder in return and refused to move a single inch. 

**_“No. That male is clearly dangerous. Didn’t you tell us that they turned against you? That they were afraid of you? They have cubs with them - there is no way he will let you close without shooting you”_ ** Sephiroth argued, and Cloud realized that he was right. 

Aerith had two bundles of fabric wrapped around her. Bundles that were making very familiar noises, and squirming at the sudden tension. Cloud wasn’t the only one ready to argue about getting to greet each other properly, as Aerith was more than willing to chew Barret out. 

“ _ Barret Wallace _ , you cut that out right  _ now _ !” she demanded, hands on her hips as she glared down at him. 

“He’s a predator, Aerith! We can’t trust him near the little ones!” he argued in return, though he did look a little hesitant as she clicked her tongue in disappointment. 

“You know that’s bullshit” she snapped, making Barret splutter in surprise as she so rarely used such words. “Cloud has lived with us all our lives and he was overly protective of Tifa when she was pregnant! That hasn’t changed! He’s still the same person that he was before we knew that he was a wolf”

“Yeah, but what about that kitty that’s defending him? That’s a proper fucking  _ tiger _ …!”

“That’s defending Cloud from you! Lower that blasted weapon right this second”

**_“I think Aerith is right”_ ** Tifa agreed, clearly relaxing just a little bit more. 

“You’re biased - She’s your wife” Barret muttered, even though he did relent and lower the weapon as Aerith dismounted. 

“See? He lowered it. Now please let me go to them” Cloud pleaded, and Sephiroth finally gave in with a sigh. 

“Fine. But Zack and I will be by your side the entire time” Sephiroth said, as Zack bounded over to them and rubbed himself against Cloud so fiercely that he almost fell over. 

**_“Are you alright? No pain?”_ ** he asked, sniffing at the little trail of blood on Cloud’s arm and ignoring the startled loud curse that Barret let out now that the third predator joined. 

“I’m fine, love” Cloud replied and kissed Zack’s forehead soothingly, ruffling his scruff lovingly. When Sephiroth pressed his face in close, he also got a little kiss on the forehead. 

“Alright, you big worrywarts - I want to introduce you to my old pack”

Cloud kept his eyes on Barret as he walked closer to the trio, trying to be as non-threatening as possible. Admittedly, he himself wasn’t overly scary in his human form. The pony-sized wolf and tiger on either side of him were, however, and Cloud fully understood why both Tifa and Barret were tense.    
Aerith seemed to share none of their worries however, and simply pulled Cloud into a tight hug as soon as he got close enough. Cloud hugged her right back, nuzzling into her neck so he could inhale her comforting, familiar scent. 

“I never thought I’d get to see you all again….” Cloud murmured as she squeezed him tighter. “I thought-!”

“Hush, Cloudysky - it’s alright” she cooed, kissing his cheek as Tifa leaned in over Aerith’s shoulder to playfully tug at Cloud’s hair with her teeth. 

“You made us worried, you idiot” she neighed with affection, accepting his pets that he gave in greeting. 

“Believe me, I was rather worried myself. If it hadn’t been for Zack, I would have drowned” he admitted, glancing over his shoulder and motioning for the other wolf to come closer. 

Zack, ever curious and social, happily stepped forward to introduce himself. Mid-step, he changed into his human form and threw the trio his most charming, blinding smile. 

“Hello there, ladies - I’m the Zack he’s talking about. One of Cloud’s mates. He’s told us a lot about you three” he said, wrapping an arm around Cloud’s waist. “He never told us how cute you are though”

“Zack…!” Cloud protested, blushing a little as he nudged the taller male with his elbow. 

“I’m just being friendly” Zack teased in return and kissed the top of Cloud’s head. 

“So you saved him, huh?” Aerith asked, taking a step closer and tugging Zack into a hug as well, which surprised him quite a bit. He didn’t quite know where to put his hands, and before he had a chance to figure that out - she pulled away again.    
“Thank you. We were all so worried! The hunters said that he fell into the river and that he was dead and gone. If you truly saved him, then we’re all in your debt, Zack”

Now it was Zack’s turn to blush, a little flustered as he hadn’t expected the sudden, random praise. 

“Ehm… I… Don’t mention it, really. It was the least I could do-”

“Now hold the fuck up!” Barret suddenly intruded, stepping in closer and making Zack’s hackles rise. The other male was large and had proven to be dangerous after all, and he couldn’t help his instinctual reaction to having a potential, loud threat so close to his mate.    
“Are we really just gonna treat this like there ain’t anythin’ weird going on!? Last time we saw Cloud, he was running from hunters, and now we find him with two ‘mates’?! Two predator husbands by the looks of it?! And we’re just gonna take that all in stride?”

“Well what else are we supposed to do?” Aerith asked, her hands once again on her hips as she pouted up at him. “ _ Not _ be grateful that our friend is safe and loved?”

“Well you could at least not hug a butt-naked fucking stranger with the children on your back”

It sincerely, honestly, took Cloud a moment to realize what Barret had said and the truth of it. He had gotten so used to not wearing clothes that he didn’t even consider how strange it was to his old pack to see complete strangers in the nude. He couldn’t help but blush, and cover himself with his hands.    
Zack had no such issues, and decided to simply hang free. He didn’t see what the problem was. 

“Soooo, as nice as this is, I think Gen and Geal are worrying themselves sick back home” Zack hummed as he decided to do the talking. Cloud was clearly too flustered to speak after all, and it didn’t seem like Sephiroth felt safe enough to shift into his human form. “How about we head back and deal with proper introductions there? It’s safer than out here, and I’m sure y’all could use some rest”

“You want us to go straight into a tiger’s den!?” Barret asked, clearly outraged, but Aerith silenced him by raising her hand and smiling up at Zack. 

“We’d love to. Show the way!”


	25. Meeting the family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packs are met and talks are had. 
> 
> Things are revealed, and theories about the new, mysterious buildings are made.

The walk back to the den was awkward. Sephiroth and Zack walked in front of the pack of prey and Cloud, figuring that they would want to catch up privately for at least a little while before they reached their destination. Sephiroth was still tense, but Zack did his best to cheer him up or at least help him relax somewhat with gentle words and the occasional snuggle. 

Now that Cloud had been reminded of the fact that he was naked, and that it was shameful (or at least private), he had asked if they had something that he could cover himself with. Barret’s clothes were all too large for him, but they had some string that he could use to keep the overly baggy, borrowed pants up around his waist. 

“Alright, spill. What happened after you left?” Barret asked, clearly still tense as he kept his gaze on Zack and Sephiroth. 

“Zack saved me from the river - Apparently I got stuck in his net” Cloud hummed, thinking back to the early days of his new life. It felt like an eternity already, even though it hadn’t been a year yet.    
“He nursed me to health, and then brought me to his home to meet his mates - Errh, his husbands. That’s when… ehm… Fuck, I don’t really know how to explain it…”

“Love at first sight?” Aerith suggested eagerly, only half-joking, but Cloud shook his head.

“Not quite. Something happened at first sight, but it wasn’t love. Turns out predators are different from humans and herbivores in more ways than I thought” he admitted. “Apparently, gender isn’t really a thing in the same way. Or… I mean… It is, it’s just defined differently”

**_“What do you mean?”_ ** Tifa asked, turning slightly to look at him properly. 

“Male and female are still a thing, but they are secondary to the main sex, which is alpha, beta or omega. All have different traits and it turns out that I’m an omega” Cloud admitted, his cheeks tinted a slight pink. “It has to do with chemicals and magic in different ways, apparently, and meeting two alphas triggered the reaction in my body. We… Ehm… We couldn’t really stop anything that happened”

“Did those fuckers seriously  _ rape you _ upon meeting you!?” Barret snarled, face twisted in fury while Aerith simply stared down at Cloud with horror. 

“No! No, not like that…! I mean, in a way I guess it could be described like that but they didn’t have more of a choice than I did” Cloud defended his alphas immediately. “But we got to know each other, I’ve learned more about their - our - culture and… I’ve… ehm… I’m a dad now”

Barret and Tifa stopped dead at that, completely frozen as they just stared at him. They didn’t even seem to breathe, and Cloud forced himself to stop and meet their gazes. He tried to look more confident than he felt, but wasn’t sure if he managed.    
It’s not like he was ashamed of himself, or his children, or his mates - It was just strange to admit just how much his life had changed since he last saw the three of them. He was afraid of what their reactions would be, but they would soon meet both Xion and Riku, so he had to prepare them. 

“...... You’re shittin’ us” Barret finally breathed, seemingly breaking the tension and letting the four of them move again as they talked.    
“Didn’t you say they’re all your husbands now?”

“I also said that I’m an omega, which means that I can carry children”

“ _ YOU _ gave birth to the child!?” Aerith squeaked, seemingly stuck somewhere between delight and disbelief. 

“Children, actually. Twins” Cloud admitted, cheeks growing a deeper shade of pink. “But yeah. I did. What about you, though? I thought you were only having one child but you made it sound like there are more?” he asked, swiftly changing the focus back onto them. 

“Ah, yes” Aerith said, clearing her throat as she glanced back at the bundles on her back. “As you know, we tried to get pregnant for some time, and we thought it only took with Tifa. Imagine our surprise when it turns out that it took with me too - just a month or so later”

“Really? So you have one each?” Cloud asked with a soft smile, able to relax now that the focus was off him. 

“Yes. Tifa gave birth to our daughter Marlene, and two months later, I gave birth to our little boy Sora” she said, smiling brighter than Cloud had ever seen before. 

“I can’t wait to meet them properly” he said. “Let’s wait to bring them out until we reach the den though - We have plenty of pens or beds where they can rest while we talk”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I’ll be comfortable putting them down somewhere out of reach in a predator-den” Barret huffed, and while Cloud could see why he was being protective and stubborn, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. 

“Well, you better get comfortable with entering one, because we’re here now” he said, gesturing to the mountain that he now considered ‘home’. 

Zack and Sephiroth nimbly made their way up to the entrance, where they transformed. Sephiroth went inside immediately, but Zack turned around to look down at them. 

“You need any help with your stuff?” Zack asked, as Aerith slipped down from Tifa’s back so they could unpack and she could transform into her human form again. 

“We’re good, thank you!” Aerith called back, and Zack simply nodded before heading inside. As Tifa transformed and had her clothes handed to her, Cloud cursed softly as he realized something. 

“There are some things you need to know about the pack and predator-culture” he admitted, only turning to look at them once Tifa’s body was covered properly.    
“They’re all going to be naked”

“They just strut around naked in there?! Didn’t you say you have  _ kids _ ?” Barret asked, growing increasingly uncomfortable. Tifa looked mildly disturbed as well, but Aerith looked reluctantly excited. 

“We do, but being naked isn’t a big thing to predators” Cloud admitted. “It took some time to get used to it, but they just generally don’t see a point with it, so they’ve never bothered”

“What about the cold?” Tifa asked, as they started to gather up their belongings. 

“When it gets too cold, they either use magic or transform. We all spent most of the winter as animals” Cloud explained, not even reflecting over how he slipped into referring to his new pack as ‘they’ now that he was talking to his old pack.    
“Genesis will probably get provoked by me wearing pants… Just so you know. But enough about that, are you ready?”

“We are” Aerith said happily, and the other two nodded. Barret didn’t look too happy about it, but he wasn’t stupid. Cloud trusted them, and he ultimately trusted Cloud. He had just been through a lot because of predators, and wasn’t really keen on potentially putting his children in danger. 

Cloud lead them up the mountain side, offering support whenever it was needed, and soon the four of them crossed the entrance barrier. 

Immediately, Cloud was pulled into a hug by Genesis. The fox was letting out worried little chirps as he looked him over, completely ignoring their guests, and predictably frowned when he saw that Cloud was wearing pants. 

“No need to frown, Gen” Cloud murmured, trying and failing to hold back an amused grin. 

“On the contrary, I seem to have plenty of reasons to frown! Why would you decide that your body is shameful again? What if the children see you like this?” Genesis argued as Angeal joined them, tugging Cloud into a soft embrace and kissing the top of his head. 

“We will simply have to explain it to them when they grow older” Angeal rumbled, as his gaze shifted towards the three visitors. He approached them slowly, not wanting to startle them, and held out a hand in a remarkably human greeting. 

“Pleasure to meet you all. I’m Angeal - Cloud has told us a lot about you three”

Tifa reached out to shake his hand, while trying to look absolutely anywhere but at his lower body. Barret also kept his gaze on Angeal’s face when they shook hands, but Aerith didn’t bother hiding her oogling. 

“Pleasure to meet you too! Thank you so much for taking care of our Cloudy” she said. “He’s a lucky man! Cloud! You didn’t tell us that your husbands are absolute hunks! Tifa doesn’t seem to be the only horse around, if you know what I mean”

“ _ Aerith! _ ” Cloud protested, blushing fiercly at the amused glance that Angeal sent his way. “Let’s just…! Let’s just head into the living room” he sputtered and headed over to the room in question. Genesis followed him, glaring at the three over his shoulder, but Angeal ignored it and simply showed where they could put down their things. 

“I do apologize for Genesis’ behaviour. He’s rather territorial and doesn’t feel safe with strangers in our home” he said, and Tifa answered before Barret had a chance to say something rude, which he clearly wanted to. 

“It’s perfectly understandable” she said, still putting all her energy into focusing her gaze on his face rather than his very naked body. “Thank you for the apology, but there’s truly no need. You’re letting us into your home even though you don’t know us after all”

“Any family of Cloud’s is a family of ours” Angeal simply hummed. “I understand that it must be difficult for pr- Herbivores such as yourselves to head into a predator’s den, but if there’s anything I can do to make you feel safer, don’t hesitate to ask”

“Handsome and polite!” Aerith cooed, before wrapping an arm around Tifa’s waist affectionately. “Cloud mentioned pens or beds for the children?”

“There’s a play pen in the living room” Angeal confirmed with a nod and lead them back to the room that Cloud had disappeared into. All three of them were rather impressed by the beauty of the room - something they clearly hadn’t expected in a mountain den - and slowly approached Cloud. 

He was rocking Xion in his arms as the little bear cub clung to him with happy purrs. Zack stood next to him with Riku in his arms, and Genesis sat on the ‘sofa’ next to Sephiroth. Angeal took both cubs from their parents and put them down in the padded, soft playpen at their feet. 

“Thank you” Zack said, kissing Angeal’s cheek in a greeting. Cloud gestured towards the pen as he turned to his old pack, and smiled at them softly. 

“You can put the children in here if you want. We have some things to talk about, and I think they would enjoy each other’s company. They’ve never met children their age before” he admitted. 

“Can they keep their claws in check?” Barret asked, as Tifa helped undo the wrappings that held Marlene and Sora.

“Mostly, but I will stay here to make sure that nothing happens” Angeal said and sat down next to the pen. “I won’t let them play too roughly” 

Barret once again seemed to hesitate, but Aerith undid the bundle properly to let out their children. She put the little badger and bunny down in the pen, and though they seemed disgruntled to have been disturbed in they very important napping, they soon became curious about their new playmates. They were quite a bit smaller than Riku and Xion, but Angeal kept an eye out and encouraged the cubs to be careful as they said hi to each other. 

Once the children were safely in their pen, it was time for the grownups to talk. The predators sat on one side, and the prey on the other. Everyone felt rather awkward about the situation, despite the joy of being reunited, and Tifa decided to do her best to break the ice. 

“So! Cloud - Why don’t you introduce us properly?” she suggested, and Cloud let out a relieved sigh. 

“Yeah. This is Zack, who you met before, this is Genesis, and this here is Sephiroth” he said, gesturing to them as he introduced them. “Mates, this is Barret, Aerith and Tifa - My childhood friends”

“Nice to meet you” Aerith said, though Barret kept quiet and his gaze fixed on the ceiling. Likely because Genesis was making an attempt to spread his legs as much as possible to make up for the fact that Cloud was wearing clothes. 

“Right back at you” Zack grinned, winking at her and earning himself a little giggle and blush. 

“So why are you here?” Genesis asked, jumping straight to the point before Sephiroth had the chance. “I was under the impression that you were still in Nibelheim - Why would you wander into predator territory?”

“Why do you care?” Barret retorted, still not looking at Genesis. “Maybe we just felt like going on a vacation”

“You are aware that you would have been dead if you had wandered into someone else’s territory, right?” Genesis pointed out with a raised eyebrow, causing Barret to finally glare at him. 

“We didn’t know until it was too late” Tifa admitted. “We don’t know how you mark your territories”

“Well, I mean, that’s fair enough” Zack frowned. “But isn’t that something you should have looked into before heading off on a vacation?”

“The ‘vacation’ excuse is bullshit” Genesis huffed with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You clearly have a goal in mind and left your safe little village for a specific reason. Why else would you risk cubs as young as those by travelling without looking into how to tell when you’re heading into dangerous territory?”

Cloud had to agree, unfortunately. It didn’t make any sense for them to leave Nibelheim, unless staying there would be a bigger risk than leaving. Knowing that they were being called out with no way of explaining it away, Aerith sighed and nodded. 

“You’re right. We are heading towards Kalm” she admitted, and Cloud sat up straighter. 

“You’re finally moving to a herbivore settlement?”

“Yeah. Part of the reason we never did before was because we didn’t want to have to leave you behind” Tifa admitted with a small blush. “But now that you weren’t around any longer, we also didn’t feel the need to stay”

“That and… Strange things were happening in Nibelheim” Aerith added. 

“What things?” Cloud asked, frowning in concern as well. “Does it have anything to do with the strange, new buildings?”

“You know about the factories?” Barret asked, looking sincerely surprised. 

“My brothers spotted them from a distance as they traveled to visit us” Sephiroth said, speaking for the first time. “There were being built in every village that they passed to get here. What are they?”

Barret hesitated, but reluctantly spoke once Tifa elbowed him in the ribs. 

“Factories to produce something they call Mako. It’s supposed to be this incredible source of energy that should be enough to boost our technology several times faster. Making us a brighter future, or some shit. It sounded good and all, but since those damn things were built - Shifters started going missing”

“Explain” Sephiroth said simply, and this time it was Aerith that spoke up. 

“Well, first we figured that they were simply getting hurt from working on the construction and having to stay home, but… It doesn’t seem like it anymore. Every week, random shifters just disappear in the night. No one is even anyone blaming predators! It’s like people just accept that some shifters never turn up again. The humans don’t care though - They say they simply decided to move away”

“That… doesn’t sound likely” Cloud pointed out. “The shifters in Nibelheim have always been happy there”

“That’s what we thought too, so we decided to leave before any of us go ‘missing’” Aerith agreed. 

“What is this ‘mako’ they’re talking about though? We don’t do technology like you do, but it’s nothing I’ve heard about before” Zack asked, and Sephiroth nodded. 

“I have been in close contact with Reeve lately, and his mate Cid is the most technological shifter I know. I’ve never heard about this Mako either”

“It’s… Green, I suppose” Tifa said. “We haven’t really seen too much of it, but when they explained it to us to explain the new factory, they said it was like a green river that floats under the surface of the earth. They said that the factories would simply work like an advanced form of a water wheel for the underground stream”

“Wait. A green, underground stream?” Genesis said and sat up straight, brows furrowed. “That just sounds like the lifestream”

“The what?” Barret asked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“The lifestream. The source of life and magic of the planet” Genesis said impatiently. “The very reason we can shift into animals at all. You’re saying they’re using the lifestream for their technology? How? Humans can’t access it properly without the help of shifters or materia - They have no magic”

“That’s what the factories are for” Tifa explained. “Magic is considered a hoax and outdated, but they use it for technology instead now”

“But how?” Genesis asked so firmly that his mates turned to look at him in concern. Genesis rarely sounded so worried, especially in front of strangers. 

“I… I don’t know” Tifa admitted. “We weren’t told much, aside from what I just shared with you”

“Genesis, what are you thinking?” Sephiroth asked, rubbing his chin as he seemed deep in thought. “You’re the expert on magic and the lifestream”

“Humans can’t access the lifestream until they die and become one with it. Sure, they can use materia to act as a conduit and give them brief control over little things, but it can’t come close to what a shifter could do even without considerable training” Genesis explained, crossing his leg and biting on his thumb lightly as he was thinking about it.    
“For them to get access to the stream in such a way that would require an entire ‘factory’ would mean that they need an immense amount of materia or something else with a connection to-”

He cut himself off then, his eyes widening in horror as he looked up at the prey in front of him. 

“You said shifters are going missing, yes?”

“Y-yes” Aerith said, and dread settled in Cloud’s chest as he figured out what Genesis’ conclusion was. 

“The shifters. They’re using them to access the lifestream”

“They have to! There’s no other explanation for it” Genesis confirmed, and the three visitors looked horrified. 

“Wh-what?! What do you mean!?” Aerith asked, swiftly growing pale. 

“Explain yourself! What are you sayin’?!” Barret demanded, earning himself a snarl.

“I’m saying that the shifters are being used to access the lifestream! Think about it - Why waste precious resources on getting a lot of materia, when you can simply use the shifters you already have at your disposal?”

“That must be why humans have tried to reach Kalm…” Sephiroth said under his breath. “There is no way they would try to get predators for such a thing as we’re too much of a risk, but if they can get access to prey, they would have an almost limitless resource that could help them use the lifestream”

“So let’s say this magical theory of yours is true, foxy - Why would that make shifters go missing?” Barret asked, leaning forward slightly. 

“Because tapping into the lifestream takes a lot of energy - Especially when you don’t know what you’re doing” Genesis explained. “Keeping spells up to protect our home takes almost no toll on me, and even if it did, there are five of us who could contribute if I needed a break. If I were to keep an entire settlement connected to the lifestream, it would take far more of me to do so. If it’s used actively, producing fire or lightning for example, it would require even more of me. I would be able to keep it up for a day or two perhaps, before I would faint from exhaustion. We’re living, breathing creatures, and have needs that need to be dealt with, such as food, sleep and water…”

“So what you’re saying is they’re using shifters basically like candles or fuel?!” Tifa gasped in horror. 

“I’m saying it’s a possibility. It would make sense” Genesis huffed. “It might just be the most disrespectful, blasphemous thing I’ve heard about in my entire life, but it’s the only thing I would say makes sense right now”

“You said you were heading to Kalm, yes?” Sephiroth asked, and the three nodded. “The road there is dangerous for you without a guide, as has been proven by you walking into our home. Kalm has also been attacked by humans lately, according to my contacts”

“Is there anything we can do to help them stay safe?” Cloud asked, reluctant to let his family leave if they were going to be in danger for it. 

“I will have to speak to Reeve, but I do have a suggestion” Sephiroth said, turning his gaze to Cloud. “I have already considered having you visit them to sort this out, Cloud. You know the most about their culture after all. I would like to suggest that you and Zack escort this pack to Kalm”

“Out of the fucking question, Sephiroth!” Genesis protested and stood up. “You literally just said that there might be humans near Kalm, there’s a huge risk that shifters are being used as a power source, and you want to send our youngest mates into that danger!?”

“Zack knows his way around, their noses are more than well-equipped to sniff out potential threats, and I doubt humans could ever catch up to them if they decided to run” Sephiroth pointed out. “Reeve’s people could meet them halfway, and give them even more safety in numbers. Don’t imply that I would put them in unnecessary danger, Genesis”

“I’m not implying anything - I’m saying that you  _ are _ ” Genesis snarled. 

“We can take care of ourselves, Gen” Zack pointed out. “I go on hunting trips alone all the time”

“Hunting trips yes, when you aren’t being hunted yourself”

“I’m not, though! Or not more than I would be at any other time! You know that there are threats against me other times as well. Are you having an issue because Cloud would be going as well?”

“Yes! He’s not as used to it! You know omegas make for greater targets out there!” Genesis argued, but now Cloud stood up as well. 

“I can take care of myself, Gen! Just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean I can’t protect myself”

“Oh yes, because the vulture-incident proved that you can” Genesis huffed sarcastically, and Cloud recoiled as if he had been slapped. Both Sephiroth and Zack stood up with growls then, but Genesis didn’t seem deterred. 

“That isn’t fair, Genesis. Besides, he broke the damn thing’s leg” Zack pointed out, but Genesis simply snarled at him. 

“After he didn’t kill a single enemy! What if you go out there, you’re threatened, and he’s too scared to kill anyone?”

“I wasn’t-! I wouldn’t-...!” Cloud protested, but the way Genesis worded it made it hard to argue against it. 

“Enough, Genesis” Sephiroth ordered firmly. “You don’t get to make that call. Cloud isn’t a cub, and it’s not fair to treat him like one. We can discuss this further later, but I am telling you right now to stop insulting our omega”

“I’m not-!”

“I said enough! Sit. Down.” Sephiroth snarled, pushing the force of an alpha behind the words and thus forcing both betas and Cloud into silent submission. They obeyed and sat down silently, though it was clear that Genesis was fuming on the inside.    
“For now, I want Cloud to show them to a room where they can sleep properly for the night. We will discuss this more in private, while we let them catch up more on their own.”

Angeal kept his eyes on the cubs, but listened to everything that was being said. It was truly troubling, and he recognized that Genesis’ outburst was his way of showing worry and care for those he loved. Being reprimanded in front of strangers will likely just make him angrier, so Angeal made a mental note to go talk to him privately later. 

For now, he was endeared by how Sora - the little bunny - burrowed into the fur on Riku’s belly. 


End file.
